Karl Fischer titration A method for determining the true water content of cereals

A variation of the Karl Fischer titration was developed to measure the water content of cereals such as various grains and flours. The presented method is based on an elevated working temperature. It can even reach the boiling point of the working medium which contains methanol as solvent. The influence of different sample preparations is also discussed. A standardized procedure could be found to achieve highly reproducible and statistically safe results. The proposed titration method can be carried out with titrators of different manufacturers. The method may serve as a reference technique for these products and, by consequence, as calibration method for other more rapid methods, which may then be used in the daily laboratory practice or in industrial production lines. Received: 28 April 1997 / Revised: 17 July 1997 / Accepted: 24 July 1997