The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-06-10
AN IMPORTANT FOOD REFORM.
Productions of Chemically Pure
Cream of Tartar-TotaI Elimina-
ton of All Lime Impurities
New Discoveries in elm
ing-A Long Stride To-
ward Pure Food.

anu consequently upon the PUBIC nealtn
have been recently made in the process
OF refining cream of tartar. Cream OF
tartar, as is well known, is bitartrate
of potassa purified from the crude tar
tar, or argol, which collects in crystal
line deposit upon the bottom and sides
OF wine casks during the fermentation
OF the wine. This tartar II its crude
state contains lime and other impure
ties, which no process of refining known
prior to that here described was able to
entirely remove. 1t has been possible, it
is true, to neutraliZe the lime to some
extent by the aid of chemicals, and this
method was resorted to in order to pro-
cure cream of tartar in small quantities
Tor pharmaceutical purposes, but it was
open to serious objections in view of the
fact that the chemicals employed for
this purpose were not always washed
out but remained in quantities that were
uncertain and prejudicial to its quality.
The supposed impossibility of removing
the lime has. accordingly, caused cream
of tartar to be classed and sold as pure
when it did not contain more than five
per cent. of this impurity. The major
part, however. of that used in COM
merce, or for culinary purposes, con-
tains the tartrate of lime to an extent
much greater than five per cent, not
infrequently being found, upon analysis
debased to degree equaling one-fourth
or more of its entire weight.
In report upon the subject of food
adulteration made to the New York
State Board of Health by Professors
Chandler and Love, it is stated that of
twenty-seven samples of cream of tartar
bought from dealers as pure, sixteen
were adulterated with various sub
stances from three to ninety-three per
cent, while of the remainder all con-
tanned tartrate of lime, some as high as
1859 per cent.
The serious character of this adulter-
alton is more readily appreciated when
it is recollected how largely cream of
tartar enters into the preparation of the
food of every family. In connection
with soda in baking powder it is,the
chief agent now employed for raising
and making light and digestible all our
biscuit. cake and other pastry, and is
besides, in many communities, super
seding the old-fashioned yeast for all
leavehsng purposes, so that it is en-
ployed to some extent IN almost every
meal of which we eat. The amount of
cream OF tartar used in this country in
a year in baking powder and otherwise
i'll the preparation of food, is estimated
at ten million pounds II there were
ninety per cent. pure-a high estimate
we would consume one million pounds
or more of lime annually as substitute
for bread. So large deterioration be-
comes appreciate in the deprivation of
our food of portion of IFS nutritive ele-
ments, not only, but if, as is now sup
posed, this excess of lime taken into the
system has a relation to the painful af-
fections of the kidneys so prevalent in
this country, its bearing upon the
health of the entire community is too
important to be overlooked.
The new process by which cream of
tartar is produced topper cent. pure
that is, with the lime totally eliminated
by treating the crude material under
pressure instead of using any chemicals
whatever for the purpose, was the dis
covery originally of German chemist,
but has been developed and perfected
by the Royal Baking Powder Company
of this city, through whose efforts few
years since in behalf of the high stand
ard of purity in food, the public was rid
of the poisonous alum baking powders
at that time so prevalent.
The determination of this Company
to place upon TIE market only absolutely
pure goods, and the impossibility of do
ing this from the cream of tartar of
commerce, made it apparent that some
new method must be sought by which
cream of tartar could be produced in
large quantities free from lime and
chemically pure. The cream of tartar
refiners of this country and Europe
when approached upon the subject, de-
clare such a result impossible, and de-
cline TO incur the expenditure necessary
to make the trial. The Royal Baking
Powder Company, accordingly, resolved
to solve the problem for itself; and hay
ing secured the aid of the best chemists
of Europe and America, proceeded with
its Investigations and discoveries until
the result, after several years of labor
and expenditure OF over half a million
dollars in the purchase of patents, per.
fecting of processes and tie erection OF
buildings and machinery, was reached
in the complete attainment of the end
sought. The works (now owned by the
New York Tartar Coz are located in
Brooklyn, and exceed In size and capa-
city any other similar refinery in the
world. They produce a chemically
pure cream of tartar, which is now ex-
clusively used for pharmaceutical pre-.
parations, and in the manufacture OF
the celebrated Royal Baking Powder.
The energy and outlay that have eff
Ifected this, will undoubtedly be fully
rewarded by the public which will chief
lly benefit by the successful issue of tbs
Investigations. People are coming
daily to more fully appreciate the value
of pure and wholesome food. By the
exclusive use of this chemically pure
cream of tartar, the Royal Baking
Powder is produced entirely free from
lime, and absolutely pure, qualities pos
sessed by no other baking powders We
made. A baking powder entirely fret
| from lime or other impurity must no
only contain more strength or leaveninl
power and produce better food ant
/ therefore be more economical for use
but what is more important, possess
qualities of superior wholesomeness.
| Chemists and physicians have looked
upon the experiments with much inter
est, and regard their success as mat
ter of much importance.-M Y. Tribune