Uniform measurement standards for antioxidants could be used to provide health-conscious consumers with more reliable data about nutritional supplements. They could also assist researchers in tracking the long-term epidemiological effects of such compounds.

According to researchers at an international conference, the decision to standardise antioxidants could also preclude manufacturers making spurious and often misleading claims for their purportedly disease-fighting products. Read science writer David Bradley's news feature in his Spotlight science news column.