Generic Gaussian ideals

The content of a polynomial $f(t)$ is the ideal generated by its coefficients. Our aim here is to consider a beautiful formula of Dedekind-Mertens on the content of the product of two polynomials, to explain some of its features from the point of view of Cohen-Macaulay algebras and to apply it to obtain some Noether normalizations of certain toric rings. Furthermore, the structure of the primary decomposition of generic products is given and some extensions to joins of toric rings are considered.