Garlic scapes, the tender flower stalks of garlic plants, often rot during storage due to fungal infections. Researchers discovered that carvacrol, a natural compound found in herbs like thyme and oregano, effectively kills the fungi responsible for this spoilage. By damaging the fungal cell walls, carvacrol can help preserve fresh garlic scapes longer without synthetic chemicals, making it a promising natural food preservative for grocery stores and consumers.