Zearalanone is a reduced derivative of the mycotoxin zearalenone and is primarily used as an internal standard in analytical laboratories for the accurate detection and quantification of zearalenone and related mycotoxins in food and feed samples. This role is essential for food safety monitoring and regulatory compliance. Due to its structural similarity to zearalenone but with significantly reduced estrogenic activity, it serves as a non-interfering reference compound in chromatographic methods like HPLC-MS. Additionally, it is utilized in research to investigate the metabolism, bioavailability, and environmental fate of zearalenone in biological systems, aiding in the development of mitigation strategies for mycotoxin contamination.