Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-03-25
An Important Food Reform.


PRODUCTION OF CHEMICALLY PURE CREAM
OF TARTAR-ToTAL ELIMINATION OF
ALL LIME IMPURITIEs-NEw DISCOVER
les IN REFINING-A LONG STRIDE TO-
WARD PURE FOOD.
New York Tribune.l
Discoveries Of much Importance Ga ac-
count of the relation they bear toward a
more wholesome food supply and con-
sequently upon the public health, have
been recently made in the process of re-
filming cream of tartar. Cream of tartar,
as Is well known, is bitartrate Of potas-
sa purified from the crude tartar, or argol,
which collocts,i in crystalline deposit up
on the bottom and sides of wine casks
during the fermentation Of the wine.--
This tartar, in its crude state, contains
lime and other impurities, which no pro-
cess of refining known prior to that
here described was able to entirely remove
1t has been possible it is true. to ncu-
tralize the lime to some extent by the aid
of chemicals, and this method was resort
ed to in order to pro cure cream Of tartar
in small quantities for pharmaceutical
purposes; but 1t was open to serious OBJ
lection in view of the fact that the chemi-
Gals employ, d for this purpose were not
always washed out but remained in guam
titles that were uncertain and prejudical
to its quality. The supposed impossible
ty of removing the lime has, accordingly,
caused cream of tartar to be classed and
sold os 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, contains
the tartrate of lime to an extent much
greater than five per cent, not infrequent-
ly being found, upol analysis, dcbased to
Il degree equnling one-fourth or more of
It's .ntire weight.
In report upon the subject of food
aduteration made to the New York State
Board of Health by Professor Chandler
and Love, II is stared that Of q samples
Of cream of tartar bought from dealers
as pure I6 were aduterated with various
substances from to % per cent. while of
the remainder all contained tar:rate of
lime, some as high as 1875 per cent.
The serious character Of this adultera
ton is more readily appreciated when 1t
is recollected how largely cream Of tartar
cutters into the preparation of the food of
eyaafS 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 commune
ties, superscdng the ol.fashioned yeast
for all lcavcning purposes, SO thot 1t Is
employed to some extent in almost every
meal of which we eat. The amount of
cream of tartar used in this country in a
wear in baking powder and otherwise in
the preparation of food, is estimated at
ten million pounds. If this We're 80 per
cent pure--a high estimate-we would
consume one million pounds or more Of
lime annually as a substitute for bread
So large deterioration becomes apprcc-
able in the deprivation of our food OF a
portion of its nutrtive elements not only,
but if. rs is now supposed, this excess of
lime taken into the SUSTAIN has relation
to the painful affections Of the kidneys so
prevalent in this country, its bearing up
on the health of the entire community is
too important to be overlooked.
The new process by which cream Of
tartar is Produced 100 pr cent pure
that is, with the lime tota ly climnated-
by treating the crude material under pres.
sure instead Of using any chemicals what
ever for the purpose, was the discovery
originally of q German chemist, but has
been developed and perfected by the
Royal Baking Powder Compa ny of this
city, through whose efforts a few years
since in behalf of high standard of purl-
ty 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 the market absolutely pure
goods, and the impossbility of doing 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 procured in large quantities,
free from lime and chemically pure. The
cream Of tartar reflners Of this country
and Europe when approached upon the
subject, declared such result impossible
and declined to incur the expenditure
necessary to make the trial. The Royal
Baking Powder Company, accordingly,
resolved to solve the problem for itself;
and having secured the aid Of the best
chemists of Europe and America, pro-
ceeted with its investigations and dis
covcries until the result, after several
years of labor and the expenditure Of
half million of dollars in the purchase
of patents, perlecting Of processes, and
Al. 9 Ia, al r,t
was reached in the complete attainment
CT the end sought. The works (noT own
ed by The New York Tartar Co.. are
located in Brooklyn, and exceed in size
and capacity any other similar refinery in
the world. They produce chemically
pure cream of tartar, which is now ex-
clusiyely used for pharmaceutical prepar-
atoms, and in the manufacture of the
celebrated Royal Baking Powder.
The energy and outlay that have effect
ed this, will undoubtedly be fully reward
ed by tn. public which will chiefly benefit
by the successful issue of the investiga-
tions. People are coming daily to more
fully appreciate the value of pure and
wholesome food. BY the exclusive use of
this chemica ly pure cream of tartar, the
Royal Baking Powder is produced entire
ly free from lime, and absolutely pure,
qualities possessed by 10 other baking
powders yet made. A baking powder en-
tiroly free from lime or other impurity
must not only contain more strength or
eavenng power and produce better food
and therefore be more economical for use,
but what is more important, possess quail
ties of superior wholesomeness.
Chemists and physicians have looked
upon the experiments with much interest,
and regard their success as matter OF
Wuch Importance.