The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1886-11-06
FOOD FRAUDS.
TIE SHAMEFUL USE OF LINE AND ALUM
IN CHEAP BAKING POWDERS.

/ iii o1A1E< IL LSL VI LINE AND ALII
IN CHEAP BAKING POWDERS.
Many food frauds, such as chicorJ
coffee or watered milk, although they
are swindle in commercial sense,
are often tolerated because they do not
particularly affect the health Of the con-
sumer; but VIXEN an article like baking
powder, that enters largely into the food
OF every family, and is relied upon for
the healthful preparation Of almost
every meal, is so made as to carry high
ly Injurious, if not rankly poisonous,
elements into bread TO the imminent
danger of the entire community, it is
the duty Of tho press TO denounce the
practice in the most emphatic terms.
Among recent important discoveries
by the food analysis is thatby Prof
Mott, the U. S. Government Chemist,
oil large amounts of lime and alum in
cheap baking powders. These are. one
The most dangerous, and tho other the
most useless adulterants yet found in
the low-grade, inferior baking powders.
1t IS startling fact that of over the /
one hundred different brands of baking
powders so 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 and alum. 1t is
true that lime is to add weight. It is
true that lime, when subjected to heat,
gives of certain amount Of carbonic
acid gas. but a quick-lime is left-a
caustic so powerful that it is used by
tanners to eat the hair from the hides OF
animals, and in disseciing rooms to
more quickly rot the flesh from the
bones Of dead subjects. A small guam
-ity OF dry lime upon the tongue, or in
-he eye produces painful effects; how
much more serious must these effects be
IN the delicate membranes of the stom-
'ch, intestines and kidneys, more partic-
llarly of infants and children, and es-
'ecially when the lime is taken into the
ystem day after day, and with almost
very meal This is said by physicians
o be one of tho chief causes OF indi-
estion, dyspepsia, and those painful
iscases of tho kidneys now so preva-
ant. Instances of the most serious
Elections Of tho latter organs from .,
rinking lime water found in some sec "
ons OF the west are noted in every
ledical journal.
Adulteration with lime is quite as
luch to DO dreaded as with alum,
hich has heretofore received the most
nphatic condemnation from every
'od analyst, physician and chemist, for
10 reason that, while alum is probably on
artiaily dissolved and passed of in sgi
IS by the heat OF baking, it is impossi- WI
10 to destroy or change the nature of -
10 Inns in any degree, so that the en-
70 amount in the baking powder
asses, with all its injurious properties.
to the stomach. When we state that ~
10 chemists have found tw, I've per H.,
INT or one-eighth of the entire weight Hn
some samples of baking powder an S M,
" d, to be lime, the wickedness of syr
q adulteration viii be fully apparent. GO.
Pure baking powders are one of the 20.
lief aids TO the cook in preparing per- OFT
ct and wholesome food. While those IN ~,
. TO be obtained of well-estabished Flo
putation, like thu Royal, CT whose s sas
irity there has never been and cannot Coz
, question, it is proper to avoid AL Cor
hers. 20 20,