Brunswick Laboratories, the leading commercial laboratory specializing in the science of antioxidants and oxidative stress, has received a Patent Notice of Allowance from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its well-known ORAC assay. A Notice of Allowance is the formal USPTO notification that an applicant is entitled to a patent under the law.

ORAC, which stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, has become the international testing standard for antioxidant capacity, particularly for natural products such as botanical-based ingredients and consumer food products. Some of the world’s largest nutrition companies use ORAC to promote the antioxidant benefits of their products. Original work on the ORAC method was done by the USDA, and scientists at Brunswick Labs improved upon the method for commercial use.

To Jim Nichols, Brunswick Labs CEO, the USPTO patent notice helps complete a long-term vision. "This patent rewards the innovative work our scientists have pursued for many years, and will give added quality assurance to corporate customers and consumers alike." Nichols added that the Brunswick Labs ORAC method is used by the USDA and is currently under review by the AOAC as an international reference standard for antioxidant capacity.

To many, ORAC is synonymous with Brunswick Labs. The USPTO patent notice reinforces this connection. Dr. Boxin Ou, chief inventor of the Brunswick ORAC method, says the patent will make the ORAC standard more meaningful. "There has been some confusion in the industry about ORAC, particularly about the uniformity of tests from one source to another. This patent helps assure the public that, moving forward, ORAC results will reflect the highest quality assurance standards provided by Brunswick Labs."

Industry participants are already expressing their approval. Dr. Alex Schauss, CEO of AIBMR Life Sciences, Inc., says, "A patent for the Brunswick ORAC assay is an important milestone that will benefit all scientists working in the field of antioxidant research, and it will be of great value to nutraceutical and food industries which face a growing need for quality control standards in products touting their antioxidant activity."

Contact: David Bell, Bell Advisory Services (dnb@belladvisory.com)