June 12/Washington /USDA-- USDA’s Nutrient Data Laboratory  (NDL) has removed the USDA Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) Database for Selected Foods from its website, citing mounting evidence that shows the values indicating antioxidant capacity have no relevance to the effects of specific bioactive compounds, including polyphenols on human health.

Specifically, the agency noted that no evidence of the beneficial effects of polyphenol-rich foods can be attributed to the antioxidant properties of these foods. USDA also said clinical trials that tested the benefits of dietary antioxidants have produced mixed results.

According to USDA’s website, "ORAC values are routinely misused by food and dietary supplement manufacturing companies to promote their products and by consumers to guide their food and dietary supplement choices."

 From the June 13, 2012, Prepared Foods’ Daily News