The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-05-27
AN IMPORTANT FOOD REFORM.

Production of Chemically Pure Cream OF
Tartsr-rotsi ILLUMINATION OF All Lime
IDpurities-rew Discoveries in KefininG
"A Long Stride Toward Pure Food.
New York Tribune
Discoveries OF mach importance on &C.
count OF the relation they bear toward 8
more wholesome food-suPply. and conss-
Quently upon the public health, have been
recently made in The process of refining
cream of tartar. Cream of tartar, as is wall
known, is a bitsrtate OF poiassa purified
from the crude tartar. or argol. which col
lects In crystalline deposit upon the bot
tom and sides OF vine casks during the fer
mentation of the wine. This tartar, in its
crude state, contains lime and other impuri-
ties which no process OF refining known
prior to that here described was able toentire-
ly remove II hes been possible. il is true, to
neutralizs the lime to come extent by ,he aid
OF chemicals ard this method was rsso .ted
tn in order to procure cream Of tartar in
small quantities for pharmaceutical pur-
poses; but il was open to serious obi sct'on in
view Of the fact that the chemicals employed
for this purpose were not always washed out,
but renamed in quantities that were uncer-
tain and prejudicial to its quality. The sup
posed iHpossibility OF its removing the lime
hss, accordingly, caused cream Of tartar TO
be classed and SOLD pure when 1t did not
contain more than per ceDt. of this impur-
lty. The major part, however OF that ussd
in commerce, or for culinary purposes. con-
talks The tsrtIete Of lime TO an extent much
greater than per cent, not infrequently
being found, upon analysis, debassd to a
degree equabng one fourth or more OF its
entire weight.
L
teTtion made to the New York Stats Board
of Health by Pr fessors Chandler aud Lave,
ii Is stated that OF tweUty.seven samples OF
cream of tartar bought from dealers as pare,
sixteen were adulterated with various sub
stances from 3 to % per cent, while OF the
remain der all contained tartrate of lime,
some as high as 1859 per cent.
The serious character OF this adulteration
is more readily appreciated when it is reoel
lected how largely cream of tartar enters
into the preparation of the food of evsry
| family. In connection with soda in baking
powder il is the chief agent nov employed
for raising and m king light and digestiole
all our biscuit, cake, and other pastry. andis
besides in many communities superseding
| the oldfsshioned yeast for sll leavening pur-
posee, SO that il is employs ed 10 some extent
| IA almost every meal of which we eat The
sm0unt OF cream OF tartar used IN this
country in a TeSr in baking powder and
otherwise in the preparation of food, is esti-
mated at 1OO00CO0 pounds. II this were
ninety per cent puIe-a high estim9te-we
would consume COO. OCO pounds or more of
| lime annually as a substitute for bread. So
large deterioration becomes appreciabls in
the deprivation of our food OF q port OF of
its utritive elements not only, bat if, ss is
| non supposed this EXCESS of lime taken into
/ the IS stem hes g &c alton 10 tie painfll at
| fec ions OF the kidneys so prevalent in this
country, It's bearing upon the health of the
eu,!Is community is TOO important 10 be
| oTel looked.
The rev process by which crsa OF tartar
is produced 100 per cent pure-ihat is with
tie lime totally elImiLaled-by treating the
| ctOCe material under pressure instead OF US
| ing any che mical5 VIA ever for the purpose
| was the discovery originally of German
! CT emist. out has been developed and per-
fecied by the Royal Baking Powder Com.
| papy Of this city. through whose efforts
few years since in behalf OF high standard
Of purity in food, the public was rid of the
| poisonous alum baking powders at that time
| 80 prevalent
The determination OF this company to
place upon tins market only absolutely pure
| goods, and the impossibility of dong this
| frcn the cream OF tartar of commerce, made
! ltapparent that some new method must bs
sought by which cream of tartar could be
procured in large quantities, free from lime
ano chemically pure. The cream of tartar
| rshneJs Of this country and Europe when
approached upon the subject declared such
result impossible, and declined t. incur
! the expenditure necessary to make the trial.
| The Royal Baking Powder Company accord
| ingly resolved to solve the problem for itself,
| and, having secured the aid of the best
| chemists OF Europe and America proceeded
with its investigations and discoveries until
| the result. after several wears OF LABOR and
| the expen diture of over $500 900 in the par
| chase OF patents, pertecting of processes sn6
| the erection of buildings aud machinery,
was reached in the compile ettsinment of the
! end sought The works now owned by tbs
New York Tartar Company are located in
| Brooklyn, and exceed in size and capacity
any oti er similar JG Fl cry 10 the world. They
| produce q chem cally pGre cram of tartar,
| which is now extensively used for phRrwa.
| ceuucGl preparations aud in the manufac-
tUTe Of the celebrated Royal Baking Povker
| TIE energy and outlay that have effected
| this will undoubtedly be fully rewarded by
the public which will chiefly bsneft by the
successful issue of the Investigations. Pso.
| pie are coming daily to more fully appreci.
| ate 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 fcee from lime, and abso.
| lutely pure qualities possessed by no other
| baking powders yet mads. A baking pow.
der entirely free from lime or other impuriiy
must not only contain more strength or
lesveniDg power, and produce better fjod,
ard therefore be more econo Gical for use,
| but what is mora lm pOrtant possesses quail
ties Of superior wholesomeness.
Chemists aud physicians have looked mp.
| on The experiments vsith much interest and
| regard their success q matter of much i'm.
In poItance.