*2.1. Participants*

All procedures involving human participants were approved by the New Zealand Health and Disability Ethics Committee (#URA/11/02/003). Non-smoking males aged 18–35 years were recruited from our previous vitamin C study databases, and were primarily from local tertiary institutes. Exclusion criteria included: recent smoker (within previous year), low plasma vitamin C (<50 μmol/L), allergy/intolerance to kiwifruit, taking prescription medication (within past three months), and fainting due to fear of needles. Anthropometric measurements were carried out to determine body mass index (BMI) and a fasting venous blood sample was drawn to determine plasma ascorbate levels as described below. Nine participants with above average plasma ascorbate levels were enrolled for the study and provided written informed consent.

**Figure 1.** Pharmacokinetic study design. Participants received either 1.5 *Sungold* kiwifruit (containing ~200 mg vitamin C) or chewable vitamin C tablets (total of 200 mg vitamin C) in a randomised cross-over design with a three week washout period between the two clinic days.

