The color of the roots varies from white, yellow, orange-yellow, light purple, deep red to deep violet. White carrots are native to Europe.
The earliest known mention of domesticated carrots dates back to the 10th century in Persia and Asia Minor. These first carrots were purple and white with a thin root. Over time, a mutation occurred removing the purple pigmentation.
The yellow/orange color of western carrots is caused by the plastid-bound pigment carotenoids, carotene, and xanthophyll. White varieties are known to contain smaller traces of lutein and β-carotene.
Carrots have also a unique combination of three flavonoids: kaempferol, quercetin and luteolin. They are also rich in other phenols, including chlorogenic, caffeic and p-hydroxybenzoic acids along with numerous cinnamic acid derivates.
White carrot
