Morning journal and courier., 1886-12-07
l BAKING POWDER MATTER.
MOME OF THE ALBANY NEWSPA-
 PER INVESTIGATION.


 The ssJournaI's Reafhrms ana Empha-
 sizes she Eacts-PlaIn Talk From
 Professor Tucker-His Opinion on
 Ammonia and Bread Risers Gene-
 rally.
 The Albany, N. Y., Journal some time since published an interesting report upon the subject of baking powders, in which it gave the results of some tests of elabo- rate character made for the purpose of de- termining the question of which is the best and wholesomest of these articles. The analyses and tests required were undertaken by Professors w. G. Tucker, of the Albany Medical college, and W. P. Mason. of the Rensselaer, Polytechnic Institute of Troy, chemists of the highest standing and reputa- tion. well known for their extended and val uable services as public analysts. Messrs. Tucker and Mason, the Journal stated, had been directed to procure from dealers in AL bany and Troy packages of baking powder, to analyze and critically examine them, and to make their reports of facts found entirely without bias or favor.
 The report proved 8 matter of interest and importance and was widely copied and com mented upon. From the facts presented housekeepers had no difficulty in determin- ing for themselves the best and most whole some baking powder to use. The Journal it's facts having been questioned by 8 local baking powder manufacturer, returns to the subject and publishes the following interest ing interview with Professor Tucker. The facts before stated are reafirmed and empha sized in the most breezy manner: A Journal reporter recently visited Profes sor Tucker for the purpose of gaining fur ther information in reference to the baking powder question. He was found in the ex tensive laboratory of the Medical college hard at work, but good naturedly submitted to an inquisitorial interview, the substance of which, here given, will be found of inter est
 Doctor" said the reporter, Cit appears that one of our local baking powder manu lecturers attempts to discredit the report some time ago published in the Journal with reference to baking powders, for which the analytical examinations were made by your self and Professor Mason. Were your anal. ysis and opinion printed correctlya" ''They were," replied Professor Tucker s'literally.''
 t'Is there any part of the report, or o1 your views expressed therein, that you would modifys''
 sNot word. My examination was most carefully and accurately made; the deduc- tions drew from the tests were the inevi- table ones, and the opinions expressed were unquestionably correct"
 "You say, doctor, that the Royal baking powder is superior to any other baking pow der which you have examineds"
 "That is my report"
 "Have you examined many other baking powders?'
 "Quite number"
 Wherein, doctor, consists this superiority which you find in the Royal over other brands?'r
 ''As stated in my report, in the great puri- ty of it's ingredients, in the unquestioned propriety and wholesomeness of those ingre- dients, in the exact proportions of the same, and the chemical accuracy and skill with which they have been combined. As I said before, it is believe baking powder 'un- equalled for purity, strength and wholesome ness.'"
 Doctor, the Journals lady readers would like you to inform them what are the pecu- liar virtues of a good baking powder over other and more old-fashioned methods of raising bread, biscuit and cakea''
 "That would require long answer, some thing in the nature of lecture. Briefly, however, the advantage of such baking powder over yeast consists in the quicker work it accompfshes, in the preservation of some of the best elements of the flour which are destroyed in the production of the car bonic acid gas by the use of yeast, and in the absolute certainty of sweet, light and di- gestible food. Over other methods for quick raising, the merits of pure baking powder are great. It is always ready for use, the acid and alkaH combined in exact pro- portions to produce definite results, or to render the largest amount of leavening gas and leave nothing more than a neutral resi- dunn, which is not the result where cream of tartar and soda are bought separately and mixed in the kitchen, for it will always oc- cur where this is done that one or the other of these substances will predominate, mak- ing the food yellow, heavy, bitter and un- wholesome. Besides the cream of tartar which can be procured by the housekeeper is mostly adulterated, adding to the uncertain ar O of the food. All these difficulties are avoided in the use of pure, properly made baking powder.''
 ,, mWi Nil ba1d baking Roxdsss kssp' How long
 eff properly made until used A perfect baking powder must combine superlative strength with power to retain it indefinitely. Baking powders generally are robbed of the necessary preserving agent in order to give present strength, or else have their efficiency largely destroyed by the addition of large quantities of four to prevent premature de- composition. The method by which both these qualities are retained in the highest degree produces the perfect article, and this I believe is fully accomplished in the Royal baking powder. I have seen an analysis of a baking powder which showed twenty-one per cent. of Rochelle salts. The baking improper manner in which it had been made the ingredients had combined, forming the purgative salt. I give this as an illustration of those baking powders whose keeping qual- ities are sacrificed to present strength. How to get both strength and keeping quality is the secret of baking powder success"
 Doctor, what about ammonia in baking powdera"
 ''Sesqui- carbonate of ammonia is some times used in the higher class of baking powders"
 t'Is it injurious or objectionablea"
 "Nonsensei Quite the contrary. It has been used for generations in the finest food It is very volatile agent. Heat entirely evolves it into gas, leaving no residuum Were it used in sufficient quantity to do the entire work of creation am inclined to be- ieve it would be the acms of leavening agents Some of the highest authorities, as Hassall, recommend it's exclusive use for this purpose in preference to yeast or other kinds of 1eav- en. It is universally admitted to be whole some and valuable agent, and no chemist of reputation will class it otherwise. have become indignant when have read the silly charges that have frequently been made through ignorance or otherwise against it."
 "Then those manufacturers who advertise that their powder does not contain it''-
 "Confess that their powder lacks 8 most useful wholesome and excellent ingredient"
 "But they say it's origin is filthyf'
 'sIts origin and method of preparation are no more filthy than are the origin and prep aration of bread All this talk about am monia in baking powder and it's filthy origin is the veriest rubbish. A man disgraces himself when he lends himself to any such statements. It is particularly unfair for baking powder manufacturers to seek to per- vert the truth, or prejudice the ignorant or full or dirty. Ammonia exists in the very air we breathe and ia Iarpelv rresant in Da.