Cadmium in wheat-grain and milling products from some Australian flour mills

Abstract

Wheat grain and associated milling products from individual commercial mills and mills at the Eread Research Institute Sydney) were analysed for cadmium. Highest cadmium concentrations were found in the bran and pollard fractions and lowest concentrations in the wheat grain and flour. The mean concentrations in bran and pollard ranged from 0.005 to 0.105 mg kg-1 and 0.005 to 0.078 mg kg-1, respectively. In contrast, the mean concentrations in grain ranged from 0.003 to 0.035 mg kg-1 and in flour from 0.003 to 0.023 mg kg-1. Cadmium analysis of wheat grain was found to be an effective method of monitoring the cadmium concentration in flour and flour products. Marked regional variations of cadmium concentration in grain and milling products were found. However, further investigation would be required to determine the reasons for these regional differences. All the grain and bran samples analysed in this study were within the maximum permissible concentrations set by the National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia) for cadmium.