Brunswick Labs, a global leader in antioxidant R&D and testing, introduces its patent-pending Total ORAC for Food and Nutrition (Total ORAC FN) test. Total ORAC FN represents a breakthrough in comprehensive antioxidant testing for food and nutrition products.

Brunswick Labs has helped leading international companies add value to their brands for years by providing antioxidant services that tell a convincing story to consumers. Now, Total ORAC FN delivers valuable, quantitative analysis to evaluate broad-spectrum antioxidant potential of oil- and water-soluble ingredients, including cosmeceuticals, and finished products.

Total ORAC FN measures antioxidant activity against 5 of the most important free radicals found in humans. These are hydroxyl, peroxyl, peroxynitrite, singlet oxygen, and superoxide anion. In a patent pending analytical laboratory method, Total ORAC FN combines all 5 measurements into a single, easy to use test result.

In a 2005 paper, Ronald L. Prior, PhD (USDA) et. al. wrote that a standardized total antioxidant capacity method should evaluate "effectiveness against various ROS/RNS such as superoxide anion, hydroxyl, and peroxynitrite...and this may require additional methods specific for each radical source." With Total ORAC FN, Brunswick Labs achieves these objectives.

"Brunswick Labs' ORAC platform has been a standard bearer in antioxidant testing for over a decade," says Jim Nichols, Brunswick Labs president. "However, the original ORAC assay only measured one radical, so the picture was incomplete. With Total ORAC FN, we have completed the picture."

There are five major radicals causing oxidative damage in the human body. In combination, they cause DNA, protein, and lipid damage, contribute to systemic inflammation and other harmful pathways. "Defending against just one of these is like patching just one of five holes in a boat," Nichols adds.

Total ORAC FN provides scientific analysis that allows companies to fine tune their product formulations based on actual performance against free radicals. So Brunswick Labs can help clients design high-performance products from raw ingredient screening through complex finished product formulations. Total ORAC FN can also be linked to clinical outcomes such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and bioavailability.

Along with providing important scientific information about radical-fighting performance, Total ORAC FN can also help companies differentiate their premium nutrition products in a crowded field. "Total ORAC FN is a rigorous analytical tool that also helps companies describe their products and consumers make better purchasing decisions," Nichols says.