▲ Important: Wear gloves and a mask to handle any sample that is suspected of containing contaminated grain.

Contaminated is defined in the “Canada Grain Act” as; “Contaminated means, in respect of grain, containing any substance in sufficient quantity that the grain is unfit for consumption by persons or animals or is adulterated within the meaning of the regulations made pursuant to sections B.01.046(1), B.15.001 and B.15.002(1) of the Food and Drugs Act.”

Samples deemed to be contaminated by the Grain Research Laboratory in consultation with the Chief Grain Inspector for Canada are graded Wheat, Sample Condemned.

Tolerances apply to kernels not classed as sprouted.

Fertilizer pellets are typically either small, round and white or irregular shaped and pink or red. Fertilizer pellets are not considered a hazardous substance however there is no visible means of assuring that material resembling fertilizer pellets is not some other contaminant.

Representative portion for analysis

Minimum—working sample     Optimum—working sample     Export—working sample

Procedures

• Handpick any fertilizer pellets and determine the concentration basis the net working sample.
• Fertilizer pellets are assessed as stones when the concentration does not exceed 1.0% of the net sample weight.
• Samples containing fertilizer pellets in excess of 1.0% of the net sample weight are graded Wheat, Held IP Suspect Contaminated Grain.

Note: Canadian Grain Commission personnel should refer to ISO national work instruction “Suspect Contaminated Grain, Handling Procedures” for procedures to be followed when handling samples containing fertilizer pellets.

Tolerances are only a guide. Consider the overall quality of the sample.

Vitreousness is the natural translucent colouring that is a visible sign of kernel hardness. It is a factor for hard wheat varieties only. For a full description, see Chapter 4.

Consider the overall quality of the sample.

Stones are hard shale, coal, hard earth pellets, and any other non toxic materials of similar consistency. Fertilizer pellets are assessed as stones when constituting 1.0% or less of the net sample weight. (See Fertilizer pellets for specific procedures to be followed when samples contain fertilizer pellets.)

Representative portion for analysis

Minimum—500 g     Optimum—1000 g       Export—1000 g

Procedures

1. Handpick stones from a representative portion of the cleaned sample.
2. Determine stone concentration in the net sample.

Note: Stones may be removed and included in dockage if the the material removed is 5.0% or less of the gross weight of the sample. See Cleaning for grade improvement.

• In western Canada samples of grain containing stones in excess of “basic grade” tolerances, up to 2.5% are graded Wheat, Rejected “basic grade” Account Stones. The “basic grade” refers to a grade established in the Canada Grain Regulations (grades listed in the first column in grade determinant tables) that would have been assigned to the sample if it contained no stones.
• In western and eastern Canada grain containing more than 2.5% stones is graded Wheat, Sample Salvage.

Examples: Western Canada

Excerpt from grade determinant tables for Wheat, Canada Western Experimental

Grade name	Stones %
No. 1 CW EXPRMTL	0.03
No. 2 CW EXPRMTL	0.03
No. 3 CW EXPRMTL	0.06
CW Feed	0.10

Basic grade:....................... Wheat, No. 3 Experimental

Reason for basic grade:...... Mildew

If the above sample contained	Grade in Western Canada
0.08% stones	Wheat, Rejected No. 3 CW Experimental Account Stones
3.0% stones	Wheat, Sample Salvage

Treated seed

Treated seed is grain that has been coated with an agricultural chemical for agronomic purposes. These seed dressings contain a dye to render the treated seed visually conspicuous. The colour of the dye varies depending upon the type of treatment and the type of grain. The current Canadian colour standards for pesticide seed treatments for cereals is pink or red and for canola is baby blue, white and green. Seed treated with an inoculant may have a green stain. The coatings or stains may appear greasy or powdery and surface area distribution ranges from tiny flecks to complete coverage.

Other chemical substances

Other chemical substances refers to any chemical residues either adhering to the kernel or remaining in the sample and to samples having a chemical odour of any kind.

▲  Important: Wear gloves and a mask to handle any samples that you suspect may contain contaminated grain.

Representative portion for analysis

Minimum—working sample     Optimum—working sample     Export—working sample

Procedures

If a sample is suspected of being coated with a pesticide, desiccant, inoculant or if the sample contains evidence of any foreign chemical substance other than fertilizer pellets, the sample shall be graded Wheat, Held IP Suspect Contaminated Grain.

Note: Canadian Grain Commission personnel should refer to ISO national work instruction “Suspect Contaminated Grain, Handling Procedures” for specific procedures to be followed when handling samples suspected of containing treated seed or other chemical substances.