The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-12
FOOD FRAUDS.
The shameful Use of Lime and
Alum I'm Cheap Baking Powders.

Many food frauds, such as chickory
ccifee or watered milk, although they
are swindle in q commercial sense
are oitsn tolerated because they dc
not particularly affect the heath oil
the consumer; but when an article
like baking powder, that ents rs largely
into the food OF every family, and K
relied upon for the healthiul prepare.
ton Of almost every meal, is so made
as 70 carry highly injurious il not
ranklly poisonous elements into the
bread to the eminent darger OF the
eDtlTe community, II is the duty Of
the press to emphatically derounce
the manuiaCt lTers whose avaTice has
prompted them to such diabolical OPP
erations
Among recent impoitlnt discoveries
by the food analysis is that by Prof.
Mott, the United States Government
Chemist, CT large amounts OF lime in
the cheap baking powders. This is,
ii not the most dangerous, certainly
the most useless adulterant, yet found
in the low grade, inferior baking
powders. 1t is a stal ting fact that OF
over 100 different brands OF baking
powder 30 far analysed, comprising all
those sold in this vicinity, not one OF
them, with the single exception OF the
Royal Baking Powder was found free
from both lime aud dun. The chief
service OF lime is to add weight. II is
true that lime, when subjected TO
heat, gives of certain amount OF car
bonic acid gas, but a quick lime is
left, a calstic so powerful that it is
used by tanners to eat the hair from
hides OF animals, and in dissecting.
rooms to more quickly rot the flesh
from the bones OF dead subjects. A
small quantity of dry lime upon the
tongue, or in the eye, produces pair ful
effects; how much more serious must
theee effects be upon the delicate men,
braues of the stomach, intestiues, and
kidneys, more particularly OF infants
and children, and especially when
the lime is taken into the system day
after day and with almott every meal.
This is said by physicians to be one OF
the chief causes OF indigestion, dyspep-
STA, and those painful diseases of the
now 30 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.
Adulteration with lime is even more
10 be dreaded than with alum, which
has heretofore received the most en-
phatic condemnation from every food
analyst, physician and chemist, for
he reason that, while alum is proba-
bly, partially dissolved and passed off !
n gas by the heat OF baking, 1t is i'm
possible to destroy o, change the ma
,ure Of the lime in any degree, so that
he entire amount in the baking pow.
Ter passes, with all its injurious prop
,rtiee, into the stomach. When we
tate that the chemists have found u
Der cent, or one-eighth OF the entire
weight OF some samples OF baking
lowder analysed to be lime, the
yickedness Of the a1ulteration will be
ully apparent.
Pure baking powders are one of the
hief aids to tie cook in preparing |
,erfect and wholesome food. While |
hose are TO be obtained of well-estab-
ished reputation like the ROYAL, of |
whose purity there has never been
nd cannot be question, II is proper
0 avoid all others.