Storage of shredded carrots induces accumulation of chlorogenic acid and other phenolics without generating toxic or anti-nutritional metabolites: A metabolomics study

Fresh-cut processing of carrots, such as shredding, triggers wound responses that lead to the accumulation of antioxidant phenolic compounds, thereby enhancing the nutraceutical value of carrots. However, it is unclear whether this beneficial response also produces undesirable toxic or anti-nutritional metabolites. In this study, carrots were shredded and stored for 48 h at 15 °C to stimulate wound-induced metabolism, then analyzed with untargeted metabolomics (LC-MS) and targeted phenolic profiling. Wounded carrots accumulated significantly higher levels of phenolic antioxidants than controls. Chlorogenic acid, the main carrot phenolic, increased by over two-fold, indicating activation of the phenylpropanoid pathway; several other phenolic acids and flavonoids also rose substantially. Importantly, no toxic or anti-nutritional metabolites were detected; the bitter phytoalexin 6-methoxymellein was actually reduced, indicating that the stress response remained focused on beneficial pathways. This is the first evidence that wound-induced phenolic enrichment in carrots can occur without producing harmful metabolites. These findings suggest that mild fresh-cut processing can safely enhance the nutritional quality of carrots, providing enriched antioxidant content for consumers and a value-added opportunity for the fresh-cut produce industry.