UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



Washington, D. C. T October 22, 1918 



A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE BLEACHING OF 

 OATS WITH SULPHUR DIOXID/ 



By George H. Baston, Assistant Grain Supervisor. 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction 1 



Method of Bleaching Oats Commercially , 2 



Character of Investigations 3 



Summary 8 



Appendix ,„ 9 



INTRODUCTION. 



BLEACHING OATS with sulphur dioxid is a practice that has 

 caused a great deal of controversy and discussion during the 

 past few years. During the past score of years the commercial 

 U|^hing of oats and barley has greatly increased until, at the present 

 ^^^Bthis process is carried on to a considerable extent in nearly all 

 «|^Hrr larger oat-producing sections, the fundamental object being 

 to improve the appearance of the product which is to be placed upon 

 the market, and it was with a view to ascertaining the merits of this 

 practice that these investigations were undertaken. 



The character of the seasons in which oats are grown, and partic- 

 ularly the weather conditions prevailing at harvest time, have an 

 influence upon their qu-^lity, condition, and appearance and deter- 



1 other publications pertaining to this subject are: 



Circular 40, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture: "A Simple Method of Detect- 

 ing Sulphured Barley and Oats," by W. P. Carroll. 



Circular 74, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture: "The Sulphur Bleaching of 

 Commercial Oats and Barley," by LeRoy M. Smith. 



Reprint from Circular 111, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture; "Improved 

 Apparatus for Detecting Sulphured Grain," by George H. Baston. 



Food Inspection Decision 145, Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. Department of Agriculture: "Bleached 

 Oats and Barley". 



Service and Regulatory Aimouncements 15, Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. Department qf Agriculture: 

 " Oats Bleached with Sulphur." 



Service and Regulatory Announcements 16; Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. Department of Agricultur: 

 "Oats Bleached with SO2 and Oats Containing Added Barley." 

 67006°— 18— Bull. 725 



