Phosphorus compounds of oats. III.—Composition of ‘phytin’ from oats and other cereals

Samples of ‘phytin’ isolated from different cereals were not identical in composition. Moreover phytin fractions obtained from a given hydrochloric acid extract of wheat bran, oats, barley or rye varied considerably, and evidence is presented to show that magnesium is more strongly held than calcium. More calcium was precipitated from solution by oat than by wheat phytate, suggesting that this may be one reason for the observation that oats are more rachitogenic than wheat.