The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-02
FOOD FRAUDS.
The shameful Use OF Lime and
Alum I'm CheHP baking
P0Wdera

Many food frauds, UGH IS chicory
coffee or watered milk, although they
are q twindle in a commercial sense,
ara often tolerated hecsuse they do
net particularly affect the health OF
the consumer; but when an ar icle
like bakir 6 powder, hat enstrs largely
into The fOod OF every family. and is
relied upon for the healthfui pre-.
pfa'lon OF aim st every mea',
is 30 made as to cry highly
Jurlons, If not rankly poisonous, ele-
ments in the breHn to hs imminer t
Danger OF the entire community, it j.
the duty OF the prsss TO denouu ce the
practice in the most emphatic terms.
Among recent important discovers s
by the food analysis is that BY Prof.
Mott. the United States government
chemist, OF large amounts OF lime and
alum in the cheap bsking powders.
THESE are, one the n ost dau gel GUS, and
the other the most useless, adulteranIs
yet Quad in the low ade, inferior
baking powders. 1t IS g artling fact
that of over 100 different brands of
baking powders 60 for analysed, COM
prisipg all those told in this vicinity,
not one of them, with the single ex-
pion of the Royal Baking Powder,
YVES found fres from both lime and
alum. The chief service of lime is 10
add weight. II is true that lime,
when subjected 70 heat, gives
of certain amount of carbonic acid
gas, but quick lime is left-a caus ic
70 pow rfrl that it is used by tanners
to eat he hair from hides of animals,
and in dssecting rooms to more
quickly rot tbs fest from the bones OF
deal 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 d -icate membranes
OF the stomach, intest mes
and Kidneys, myre 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 tbs
most senous affections OF the latter
orgsns from drinking lime wal ers
found IN some sections Ct the West
are noted in every medical journal.
Adulteration with line is quite as
much TO be dreaded as with alum,
which hos 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
'f baking, it is impossible to de-
troy or change the nature of
he lime in any degree, so that the
-ntire amount in the baking pow der
passes, with all its injurious properties,
nto the stom ioh. When we state
bat the chemists have found ~ per
enk, or once ghth of the entire
weight OF soma samples OF baking
powder analysed, to be lime, the wick
doess Of the adulteration will be
ully apparent.
Pure baking powders are one of the ]
hief aids to the cook in preparing per- I
ct end wholesome food. While
hose are to be obtained of well estab- !
Ished reputation, like the Royal, of i
Ghose purity there has never been
nd cannot be question, it is proper
D avoid all oilers.