Only 2.1% of young Australian adults aged 18–24 years meet Australian Dietary Guideline recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake(1), which is concerning given the established association between fruit and vegetable consumption and reduced risk of non-communicable diseases(2). Carotenoids are plant-derived pigments that accumulate in the skin following dietary intake and can be measured non-invasively using reflection spectroscopy (3)(4). While skin carotenoid measurement has demonstrated potential as an objective proxy of fruit and vegetable intake, limited data exists describing typical skin carotenoid levels among Australian university students or whether spectroscopy-derived scores correspond with self-reported fruit and vegetable intake in this population. This study aimed to characterise skin carotenoid levels among Australian university students and examine the association between reflection spectroscopy-derived skin carotenoid scores and self-reported fruit and vegetable intake. This cross-sectional study recruited participants through convenience sampling at the University of Wollongong. Skin carotenoid levels were measured using reflection spectroscopy (Veggie Meter®), followed by a questionnaire assessing demographics, lifestyle factors and dietary intake. Associations between Veggie Meter® score and participant characteristics were examined using independent t-tests and analysis of variance. Linear regression was used to determine whether fruit and vegetable intake predicted Veggie Meter® score, adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors associated with skin carotenoid levels. Of the n = 276 participants, most were female, domestic students enrolled in undergraduate degrees, and aged between 18-23 years. The mean Veggie Meter® score was 374.5 ± 148.8. Only 15.9% (n = 44) of participants met vegetable intake recommendations, while 91.3% (n = 252) met fruit intake recommendations. Compared to those not meeting recommendations, participants meeting intake recommendations had significantly higher Veggie Meter® scores for vegetables (531.6 ± 169.8 vs 344.6 ± 123.9, p < 0.0001) and fruit (384.2 ± 149.7 vs 273.8 ± 92.0, p = 0.0005). Veggie Meter® scores increased progressively with increasing fruit and vegetable intake, ranging from 248.19 (95% CI 205.30, 291.08) among participants consuming ≤3 serves/day to 558.51 (95% CI 509.31, 607.72) among those consuming ≥9 serves/day. Food-insecure participants had lower Veggie Meter® scores than food-secure participants (348.0 ± 140.8 vs 400.5 ± 152.3, p = 0.003). After adjustment for food insecurity, enrolment status and smoking/vaping status, fruit and vegetable intake remained a significant predictor of Veggie Meter® score (B = 41.42, p < 0.0001). This study provides population-specific data on skin carotenoid levels among Australian university students and demonstrates a positive association between reflection spectroscopy-derived scores and self-reported fruit and vegetable intake. These findings support the potential utility of Veggie Meter® assessment as a rapid, non-invasive biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake in young adult populations.