1.   The department already has brought charges against companies that sell basic commodities such as sodium gluconate, an industrial cleaner.

2.   Inquiries involving sodium gluconate, citric acid and other products are continuing, the bureau said.

3.   Jungbuinzlauer International AG, a Swiss company, was convicted last October of price fixing and market allocation involving sodium gluconate and citric acid.

4.   Sodium gluconate is used as an industrial cleaning and metal-treatment agent and to regulate the setting of concrete.

5.   Sodium gluconate is used to clean metal and glass in bottle washing, food service and utensil cleaning and paint removal.