Samples of wheat, rye and barley from previous harvests, some of them dating back even to the past century and placed at the authors' disposal by a number of seed growers and governmental research institutions, were examined for their cadmium content by AAS or ICP-AES. Although no statistically valid data could be obtained owing to the low number of samples, it should nevertheless be stressed that the cadmium content found in cereal samples from harvests of the past were within the range of present-day wheat samples. Thus, the variation in wheat samples from former harvests was 20-100 micrograms/kg which is coincident with an average cadmium content of 50-60 micrograms/kg measured in 2000 what samples from the harvests of the last 10 years as determined in a special survey by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry. Comparison of the results for cereals samples from harvests of the past and the samples of the survey conducted by the Ministry does not indicate a trend towards a continuously rising cadmium contents of bread cereals.

A procedure is described for the residual analysis of eight pyrethroid insecticides at levels of 2-5 micrograms/kg. Residues are extracted from cereal grains, flour or bread with a mixture of acetonitrile/water (2 + 1) and are partitioned into petroleum ether. Clean-up is performed by gel permeation chromatography on Bio-Beads S-X3 and an additional Florisil column. Electron capture gas liquid chromatography on a non-polar SE-30 capillary column separates the isomers of the compounds. Under the conditions used in the experiments with cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, fenvalerate, and permethrin, the compound levels in rye and wheat did not decrease significantly. Losses during milling and baking were small. Consequently, pyrethroid insecticides remain effective in grain stored over a long period of time. However, considerable residues result in the milled fractions as well as in different types of bread.

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The Influence of the Reaction Products between SO2 and Carbohydrates on the Determination of SO2. It was found, that the decrease in chemically detectable SO2 in stored sugar solutions under mild conditions (room‐temperature and 60°C) is partially influenced by the formation of several reaction products, which prevent SO2 being set free. Under these conditions fructose and sucrose do not react with SO2. Maltose forms reaction products more readily than glucose. Reaction products of glucose and SO2 particularly are acids. It was found, that these reaction products exist with and without sulfur. The amount of reaction products is very small. Methods for determination of SO2 were compared. It was found, that the amount of re‐detectable SO2 decreases with increase in sugar concentration. A method is proposed for the rapid determination, at the same time being acceptable for quality control. It was shown, that a colorimetric method for determination of SO2 in starch products with small amounts of SO2 is more exact and needs time less than the Monier‐Williams method.

Toxic Heavy Metals — Analytics and Importance to Starch Industries. In order to set limits concerning the maximal tolerable content of toxic heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic in food and feed‐stuff, the Federal Government ist preparing laws dealing with this matter. The present phase of this legislation is being explained. The analytical problems arising in connection with the determination of toxic heavy metals in food, particularly grain products are being outlined with emphasis on measurements by atom adsorptions photometry. Finally a survey of the present state of grain contamination by heavy metals is given, with special consideration to the grain most important for the starch industry.