Dietary sulfate may be important in human metabolism for (1) its sparing effect on the requirement for methionine and cysteine, (2) its effect on plasma sulfate and therefore on conjugation of xenobiotics and drugs with sulfate, and (3) its effect on large bowel metabolism where it is reduced to hydrogen sulfide, a substance potentially toxic to the colonic epithelium. Sulfate concentrations have therefore been measured in more than 200 individual foods and beverages. A wide range of values was found. High-sulfate foods ( (>10 \mu \mathrm{mol} / \mathrm{g}) or (1 \mathrm{mg} / \mathrm{g}) ) include some breads, soya flour, some dried fruits, some brassicas, and some sausages. High-sulfate beverages ( (>2.5) (\mu \mathrm{mol} / \mathrm{ml}) or (0.25 \mathrm{mg} / \mathrm{ml})) ) include some beers, ciders, and wines. There was considerable variation in sulfate levels of individual foods from different sources partly due to differences in their manufacture and preservation by "sulfuring." The high-sulfate content of brassica vegetables correlated with known glucosinolate concentrations. The sulfate content of beer is discussed with particular relation to epidemiological observations which link ingestion of beer with colorectal cancer. (c) 1993 Academic Press, Inc.