The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-06-25
An Important Food Reform.
Production of chemically pure cream of tar
tar-totaI elimination Of all lime impuri-
ties-new discoveries In ref1ning-a long
stride toward pure food.


stride toward pure food.
From the New York Tribunel
Discoveries Of much Importance on
account Of the relation they bear to-
ward more wholesome food supply
and consequently upon the public
health, have been recently made in the
process of refining Of cream tartar.
Cream of tartar, as is well known, is
bitartrate of potassa purified from the
crude tartar, or argol, which collects
in crystalline deposit upon the bot
tom and side Of wine casks during the
fermentation Of the wine. The tar
tar, 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 re-
move. 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
procure cream Of tartar in small guam
titles for pharmaceutical purposes;
but it was open to serious objection
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
prejudical to its quality. The sup
posed impossibility of removing the
lime has, accordingly, caused cream
of tatrar to be classed and sold as pure
when it did not cantain more than
five per cent of this impurity. The
major part. however, of that used in
commerce, or for culinary purposes,
contains the tartrate Of lime to an ex-
tent 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 81 samples Of cream Of tartar
bought from dealers as pure 16 were
adulterated with various substances
from to SO per cent, while of the
remainder all contained tartrate of
lime, some as high as 1859 per cent.
The serious character Of this adul-
teration is more readily appreciated
when it is recolected how largely cream
of tartar enters into the preparation
of the food of every family. In con-
nection with soda in baking powder
it is the chief agent now employed
for raising and making light and di-
gestible all our biscuit, cake and other
partry, and is besides, in many COM
munities, superseding the old-fash-
| ;oood 1,ooef Gov oil 1aoUop,nn ,,,rDocoo
so that 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 year in baking
powder and otherwise in the prepara-
tion of food, is estimated at ten mill
ion pounds. LIE this were 80 per cent
pure-a high estimate-we would
consume one million pounds or more
Of lime annually as substitute for
bread. So large a deterioration be-
comes appreciable in the deprivation
Of our food Of portion Of its nutritive
elements not only, but it, as is now
supposed, this excess of lime taken
INTO the system has relation to the
painful affections of the kidneys so
prevalent in this country, its bearing
upon the health of the entire COM
munity is too important to be over
| looked.
The new process by which cream Of
tartar is produced 100 per cent pure
that is, with the lime totally elimi-
nated-by treating the crude material
under pressure instead Of using any
chemicals whatever for the purpose,
was the discovery originally of a Ger
man chemist, but has been developed
and perfected by the Royal Baking
Powder Company Of this city, through
whose efforts few years since in be-
half of high standard Of purity in
food, the public was rid of the poison
GUS alum baking powders at that
time so prevalent.
The determination of this Company
to place upon the market only abso-
lutely pure goods, and the impossible
ity 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 refners Of this
country and Europe when approached
upon the subject, declared such re-
suit 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 hav-
ing secured the aid of the best chem
lists of Europe and America, proceeded
with its Investigations and discoveries
until the result, after several years of
labor and the expenditure of over half
a million dollars in the purchase of
patents, perfecting Of processes, and
the erection Of buildings and machin-
cry, was reached in the complete at
tanning of the end sought. The
works (now owned 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 exclusively
used for pharmaceutical preparations,
and in the manufacture of the cele-
brated Royal Baking Powder.
The energy and outlay that have
effected this will undoubtedly be fully
rewarded by the public which will
chiefly benefit by the successful issue
of the Investigations. People are
coming daily to 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
possessed by no other baking powders
yet made. A baking powder entirely
free from lime or other impurity must
not only contain more strength or
leavening power and produce better
food and therefore be more economic