## 4 Discussion
The application of vacuum packaging to sliced carrots resulted in a substantial extension of the shelf life of the product when stored at 4 \({}^{\circ}\)C, with the shelf life being extended from 5 to 8 days. In the study conducted by [PERSON] et al. [51], the impact of storage under oxygen-free conditions on bacterial communities present in strawberry puree was analysed. The findings indicated that the application of vacuum resulted in an extended lag phase or the absence of growth for anaerobic bacteria, despite the fact that vacuum conditions are known to foster anaerobic conditions. Anaerobic organisms are typically characterised by their ability to thrive in the absence of oxygen. However, it has been demonstrated that sudden pressure changes (from atmospheric pressure to vacuum) can physically stress or rupture bacterial cells, and anaerobes are not specifically adapted to handle such rapid or extreme shifts in external pressure. Furthermore, the growth and metabolism of anaerobic bacteria are contingent on the specific gas composition of the environment. The process of removing all gases by means of a vacuum results in the deprivation of gas components that are essential to the metabolism of anaerobic microorganisms [52]. In the case of vacuum-processed puree, minimal alterations in yeast and mould populations were observed during storage [51]. Moulds are strictly aerobic microorganisms, and their growth is contingent on the oxygen availability in the environment [53]. In our study the dominant microbes of the sweet potatoes proved to be LAB, which have the potential to induce organoleptic alterations in stored products as a result of their capacity to produce organic acids, thereby influencing the quality attributes of the sweet potato samples. In contrast to our observations, [PERSON] et al. [29] reported that the predominant bacteria identified from vacuum-packaged fresh-cut potatoes were fermentative Gram-negative bacteria. In addition to LAB, fungi and _Enterobacteriaceae_, which were among the microorganisms detected, can also be problematic from a quality point of view. _Enterobacteriaceae_ may be present in the natural microbiota of certain foods or can be introduced as a result of (post-)process contamination. _Enterobacteriaceae_ have been shown to cause food spoilage in a broad range of food products, including milk, dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and other foods. The growth and metabolic activity of _Enterobacteriaceae_ in foodstuffs have been demonstrated to result in a range of undesirable effects, including off-flavours, odours, colour defects, and other organoleptic deviations. Such changes may be attributed to the enzymatic breakdown of proteins or lipids, the production of volatile components, and the generation of gas. Genera such as _Erwinia_, _Brenmaria_, and _Pectobacterium_ are predominantly associated with plants; as a consequence, they are often present in the foodstuffs of vegetable or plant origin. Soft rot is a prevalent form of vegetable and fruit spoilage that is primarily triggered by the actions of _Enterobacteriaceae_. These bacteria are responsible for the decomposition of pectins, resulting in a distinctive mushy texture, accompanied by a foul odour and a water-soaked appearance [54]. Furthermore, members of the _Enterobacteriaceae_ family may present a food safety risk [55] if inappropriate kitchen techniques are employed during the production of food made from ready-to-cook sweet potato. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [56] demonstrated in their study that the microbiota of fresh-cut sweet potato slices was dominated by mesophiles, followed by psychotrophs and fungi initially and during storage. In our study, we found that no growth was detected in samples stored at 5 \({}^{\circ}\)C, so the presence of psychotrophic microbes is not significant, and they do not contribute to any possible degradation processes.