River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-05-03
Dangerous Food Adulteration.
The Fraudulent use Of Alum and Lime
IN Cheap Baking Powder.

The Fraudulent use Of Alum and Lime
IN Cheap Baking Powder.
If consumers prefer to buy an adul.
terated article OF food because it can
be had at lower price, they undoubt-
edly have the right TO do SO, provided
the adulterants are not of character
injurious To health. If such articles
are not falsely sold as pure, and the
customer is not deceived as to their
real character, the transaction is not
Legitimate.
But the great danger in the traffic in
adulterated food arises from the oecep-
ton that is practised by manufacturers
usually CHASING such goods as pure.
This is almost invariably done when
the adulterant is one that is injurious
to health. For instance, manufacture
ers of alum and lime baking powders
not only fail to inform the public of
the real character of their goods, but
carefully conceal the fact that they
are made from these poisonous arti-
cles. Most of these manufacturers
also claim that their articles are pure
and wholesome, while some go still
further and proclaim boldly that they
are cream of tartar goods, or even the
genuine Royal Baking Powder itself.
No consumer will buy alum baking
powder knowingly, for it is well I'M
derstood that they are detrimental to
health. The sale of lime and luna
baking powders as pure and wholesome
articles is, therefore, criminal, and it
is satisfactory to notice that several
~. ~
ready been brought to justice in the
courts.
The official analysts have recently
been active in the pursuit of these
dishonest articles. The baking pow
ders of several States have been care
fully and critically examined. The
officials are surprised at the large
amount of lime and alum goods found.
1t is suggestive fact that no baking
powder except the Royal has been
found without either lime or alum,
and many contain both. DR.. Prices
baking powder has been found to con-
tain nearly II per cent. of lime; Cleye-
lands IL per cent. of impurities; the
phosphate powders over II per cent. of
lime.
weight. 1t is true that lime, when
subjected to heat, gives off a certain
amount of carbontc acid gas, but a
quick-lime is left--a caustIc of most
powerful nature. A small quantity of
dry lime upon the tongue, or in the
eye, produces painful effects; how
much more serious must these effects
be on 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
almost every meal. This is said by
physicians 10 be one Of the causes OF
OF indigestion, dyspepsia, and those
painful diseases of the kidneys now Sc
prevalent.
Adulteration with lime is quite as
much to be dreaded as with alum,
which has heretofore received the
most emphatic condemnation from
food analysts, physi clans and chemists,
| for the reason that while alum may be
partially dissolved by the heat of bak'
ing it is impossible to destroy OF
change the nature of the lime so that
| the entire amount in the baking powder
passes, with all Injurious properties, in
to the stomach.
The large profits from the manufact.
ure of lime and alum baking powder
has placed many of them in the mar.
ket. They are to be found in the
stock of almost every retail dealer, and
are urged upon customers calling fol
baking powders upon all occasions.
Because of their well-known detri
mental character it is desirable that
prompt means be taken 10 suppress
their manufacture.
Pure baking powders are one of the
chief aids TO the cook III preparing
perfect and wholesome food. While
those are to. be obtained of well-estab.
lished reputation, like the Royal, OF
whose purity there has never been q
question, it is proper TO avoid all 9th
ers.