## 3 Results
### Effect of VI on the Chemical Composition of the Products
High accumulations of hydroxycinnamic acids in wounded tissue have previously been observed in carrots [52,54], and these acids are the substrates for the synthesis of lignin. The literature suggests that chlorogenic acid, which was the most noticeable, may inhibit lipid oxidation, degradation of bioactive compounds, or function as a prebiotic. Chlorogenic acid also shows anti-obesity, anti-lipidemic and anti-diabetic properties [55]. Although the effect of this acid on the inhibition of trypsin activity is described, which may limit the availability of amino acids [56]. Abiotic stress in carrots is often associated with an increase in isocouramis, as observed in the Baltimore cultivar. Excessive accumulation of these compounds can lead to a stronger bitter taste, a reduction in sweetness, and an enhanced perception of sourness [57]. Moreover, a significant increase in lignin content may also lead to decolorization of carrot slices [58]. The overall antioxidant activity of the analyzed carrot samples was in the range of 18-32 mol Trolox/1 g DM (Table 5), while for the raw material of the Baltimore F1 and Komarno cultivars, this parameter was 18 and 19 mol Trolox/1 g DM, respectively. Vacuum impregnation caused an increase in the carrots' antioxidant activity, which was related to both the saturation of tissue with ascorbic acid (Figure 3a) and the synthesis of phenolic compounds as a result of wounding stress (Figure 4). According to literature data [59,60], hydroxycinnamic acids, especially chlorogenic acid, have strong antioxidant properties. The application of a vacuum pressure of 5 kPa resulted in a higher saturation of the tissue with the solution and a higher ascorbic acid content (Figure 3b), which may result in a higher antioxidant activity value (Table 5). In addition, higher ascorbic acid content may protect the phenolic compounds from oxidation during the impregnation process, especially at 5 kPa, where the effect of pressure on tissue wounding is greater. The obtained antioxidant activity values correlated positively both with phenolic compound content in the samples (r = 0.75) and with the ascorbic acid content in these samples (r = 0.94). However, similar levels of activity values for both cultivars, despite the greater synthesis of phenolic compounds in the Komarno variety impregnated at 5 kPa, may indicate that the ascorbic acid content is of greater importance in shaping the value of the antioxidant activity. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**Cultivar** & **Pressure (kPa)** & **AC (\(\mu\)mol Trolox/1 g DM)** \\ \hline  & raw & 18 \(\pm\) 2 b \\ Baltimore F1 & 5 & 32 \(\pm\) 8 a \\  & 30 & 28 \(\pm\) 2 ab \\ \hline  & raw & 19 \(\pm\) 3 ab \\ Komarno & 5 & 29 \(\pm\) 4 ab \\  & 30 & 25 \(\pm\) 7 ab \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} Mean \(\pm\) standard deviation. Different letters in the column indicate a significant difference at \(p<\) 0.05 for the ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test mean comparisons.  
\end{table} 
Table 5: The antioxidant capacity (AC) of raw and impregnated samples. Phenolic hydroxyl groups directly neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals, thereby preventing oxidative damage, enhancing antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. Moreover, phenolic compounds bind pro-oxidant metal ions like iron and copper, reducing their catalytic activity in oxidative reactions. Ascorbic acid acts as a reductant and a metal chelator, but primarily it reduces reactive oxygen species. It regenerates other antioxidants like phenolic compounds and \(\alpha\)-tocopherol to their active states. Phenolic compounds and ascorbic acids can act synergistically. For example, phenolics help regenerate oxidized ascorbic acid, maintaining its effectiveness over time. This mutual reinforcement amplifies the antioxidant potential of the food matrix, as observed during processes like vacuum impregnation [30; 61; 62].