Rapid quantitative near-infrared Fourier transform Raman analyses of the key phytonutrients in carrots, polyacetylenes and carotenoids, are reported here for the first time. Solvent extracts of 31 carrot lines were analyzed for these phytonutrients by conventional methods, polyacetylenes by GC-FID and carotenoids by visible spectrophotometry. Carotenoid concentrations were 0-5586 μg g(-1) dry weight (DW). Polyacetylene concentrations were 74-4846 μg g(-1) DW, highest in wild carrots. The polyacetylenes were falcarinol, 6-1237 μg g(-1) DW; falcarindiol, 42-3475 μg g(-1) DW; and falcarindiol 3-acetate, 27-649 μg g(-1) DW. Strong Raman bands for carotenoids gave good correlation to results by visible spectrophotometry. A chemometric model capable of quantitating carotenoids from Raman data was developed. A classification model for rapidly distinguishing carrots with high and low polyacetylene (limit of detection = 1400 μg g(-1)) concentrations based on Raman spectral intensity in the region of 2250 cm(-1) was produced.