Systems and methods of discriminating between a control sample and a test fluid using capacitance

A system for distinguishing between a blood sample and an aqueous non-blood sample, the system comprising:

• (a) a test strip including electrical contacts for mating with a test meter and an electrochemical cell comprising:
• (i) a first electrode and a second electrode in a spaced apart relationship;
• and
• (ii) a reagent;
• and
• (b) a test meter including a processor programmed to measure and receive electrical current transients from the test strip, and data storage containing discrimination criteria so that a blood sample can be distinguished from an aqueous non-blood sample based on a first reference value, a second reference value, and a capacitance index in which the first reference value is representative of antioxidant concentration and the second reference value is representative of reaction kinetics, each of said first and second reference values employing measured current transients and in which the capacitance index is related to at least one of a measured or predetermined capacitance and the processor is further programmed to calculate a third reference value by multiplying the first reference value by the capacitance index and utilizing the second reference value and the third reference value to determine whether a sample is a blood sample or an aqueous non-blood sample.