UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
| BULLETIN No. 725 
Contribution from the Bureau of Markets 
CHARLES J. BRAND, Chief 
Washington, D. C. T October 22, 1918 
A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE BLEACHING OF 
OATS WITH SULPHUR DIOXID. 1 
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 
bleaching of oats and barley has greatly increased until, at the present 
time, this process is carried on to a considerable extent in nearly all 
of our larger oat-producing sections, the fundamental object being 
to improye the appearance of the product which is to be placed upon 
the market, and it was with a yiew 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 quality, condition, and appearance and deter- 
1 Other publications pertaining to this subject are: 
Circular 40, Bureau of Plant Industry, TJ. S. Department of Agriculture: "A Simple Method of Detect- 
ing Sulphured Barley and Oats," by W. P. Carroll. 
Circular 74, Bureau of Plant Industry, IT. S. Department of Agriculture: '-'The Sulphur Bleaching of 
Commercial Oats and Barley,' 7 by LeRoy M. Smith. 
Reprint from Circular 111, Bureau of Plant Industry, TJ. S. Department of Agriculture; "Improved 
Apparatus for Detecting Sulphured Grain," by George H. Baston. 
Food Inspection Decision 145, Bureau of Chemistry, IT. S. Department of Agriculture: "Bleached 
Oats and Barley". 
Service and Regulatory Announcements 15, Bureau of Chemistry, C S. Department of Agriculture: 
" Oats Bleached vrith Sulphur." 
Service and Regulatory Announcements 16, Bureau of Chemistry, TJ. S. Department of Agricultur: 
"Oats Bleached with S0 2 and Oats Containing Added Barley." 
67006°— 18— Bull. 725 
