The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-08-28
FOOD FRAUDS.
The Shameful Use of Lime and
Alan in Cheap Baking
Powders

Many food frauds, such as chicory
coffee or watered milk, although they
are swindle in 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 family, and is
relied upon for the healthful pre-.
parauon OF almcst every meal,
is 90 made as TO carry highly
Injurious, If not rankly poisonous, ele-
ments into the bread to The imminent
danger OF the entire community, 1t il
the duty OF the pr es TO denoupce the
practice in the most emphatic terms.
Among recent important discoveries
by the food analysts Is that by Prot.
Mots, the United States government
chemist, Of large amounts OF lime and
alum In the cheap baking powders.
Theee are, one the most dangerous, and
the other the most useless, adulterants
yet found in the low grade, inferior
baking powders. 1t is startling fact
that Of over 100 different brands OF
baking powders 90 far analysed, COM
prisiDg all those FOLD in this vicinity,
not one of them, with the single ex-
ception of the Royal Baking Powder,
WAS found free from both lime and
alum. The chief service OF lime is 10
add weight. 1t is true that lime,
when subjected 20 heat, gives
of certain amount of carbonic acid
gas, but quick lime is left caus'ic
20 powerful that it is used by tanners
to eat the hair from hides OF animals,
and in dissecting rooms to moro
quickly rot the Aesk from the bones OF
dead subjects. A small quantity OF
dry lime upon the tongue, or in the
eye, produces painful effects; how
much more serious must these effects
be upon the delicate membranes
Of the stomach, intestines
and kidneys, more particularly
OF infants and children, and
especially when the lime is taken into
the system day after day, and with
almost every meal. This is said by
physicians to be one OF the Chief
causes OF indigestion, dyspepsia, and
those painful diseases OF the kidneys
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 quite as
much to be dreaded as 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 off in gas by the heat
OF baking, it is impossible to de-
stroy or change the nature OF
the lime in any degree, 80 that the
entire amount in the baking powder
passes, with all its injurious properties,
into the stomach. When we state
that the chemists have found IL per
cent, or one-eighth of the entire
weight OF some samples OF baking
powder analysed, to be lime, the wick
ednees OF the adulteration will be
fully apparent.
Pure baking powders are one Of the
chief aids to the cook in preparing per-
feet and wholesome food. While
those are to be obtained OF we'll estab
liShed reputation, like the Royal, OF
whose purity there has never been
and cannot be question, It is proper
10 avoid all Others.