Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-13
FOOD FRAUDS.
The Shameful Use of Lime and Alum in
Cheap Baking Powders.

The Shameful Use of Lime and Alum in
Cheap Baking Powders.
Many food frauds, such as chiccory cof-
fee or watered milk, although they are a
swindle in a commercial sense, are often
tolerated because they do not particularly
affect the health of the consumer; but
when an article like baking powder, that
enters largely into the food OF every fami-
ly, and is relied upon for the healthfu
preparation OF almost every meal, is so
made as TO carry highly Injurious if not
raukly poisonous elements into the bread
10 the eminent danger OF the entire com.
munity, it is the duty Of the press TO en-
phatically denOunce the manufacturers
whose ayarice has prompted them to such
diabOlical operations.
Among recent important discoveries by
the food analysts is that by Prof. Mott, the
United States Government Chemist, Of
large amounts of lime in the cheap baking
powders. This is, if not tne most danger
Gus. certainly the most useless adulterant
yet found in the low grade, inferior baking
powders. It is startling fact that OF
over one hundred different brands Of bak-
ing powder so far Analysed, comprising
an those sold in this vicinity, not one Of
them, with the single exception of the
Royal Baking Powder, was found free
from both lime and alum. The chief SER
vice of lime is 10 add weight. 1t is true
that lime when subjected to heat gives OF
a certain amount of caTbOnlc acid gas, but
quick lime is left, caustic so powerful
that it Is used by tanners to eat the hair
from the hides Of animals, and in dIssect-
log rooms to mere quickly rot the flesh
from the bones Of dead subjects. A small
quantity Of dry lime upon the tongue, or
in the eye, produces painful effects; how
upon the delicate membranes of the stom-
ach. intestnes aud kidneys, more part-
cularly Of infants and children, and espe-
cially when the lime is taken INTO the sys-
TEN day alter day and with almost every
meal. This is said by physicians to be one
OF the chief causes OF Indigestion. dyspep-
STA, and the painful diseases Of the kid
neys now so prevalent. Instances of the
most serious affections Of the latter organs
from drinking lime waters found in some
sections Of the west are noted in every
medical journal.
Authorizations with lime are even more
TO be dreaded than with alum, which has
heretofore received the most emphatic
condemnation from every food analyst.
physician and chemist, for the reason
that, while alum Is probably partially
dissolved and passed of in gas by the heat
OF baking, 10 is impossible 10 destroy or
change the nature Of the lime In any de-
gree, so that the entire amount in the bak-
ing powder passes, with all its Injurious
properties, into the stomach. When we
state that the chemists have found II per
cent or One-eighth OF the entire weight Of
some samples Of baking powder Analysed
TO be lime, the wickedness Of the adulter-
alton will be fully apparent,
Pure baking powders are one Of the
chief aids 70 the cook in preparing perfect
and wholesome food. While those are TO
he obtained Of well established reputation
like the Royal. Of whose purity there has
never been and cannot be question, II Is
proper 10 avoid all others.