The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-16
DANGEROUS FoOD ADULTERATIoN
The Fraudulent Use OF Alum and Lime IN
Cheap Baking Powders

II consumers prefer to buy an adulief-
sted article OF food because 1t can he had
at a lower price they undoubtedly have
the right TO do so, provided the aGuiter-
ants are not OF q character injurious to
health. If such articles are not falsely
sold as pure and the customer is not de-
ceiyed as 10 their real character, the
transaction is not illegitmate.
But the great dagger In the traihc IN
adulterated food arises from the decep-
ton that il practiced by manufacturers
usually chasing such goods as pure. This
| "a almost invariably done when the adul-
terant Is one that IS injurious TO health.
For instance. manufacturers OF alum and
lime baking powers not only fail 10 in.
form the public Of the real character Of
their goods. but carefully conceal the fact
that they are made from these poisonous
articles Most OF these manufacturers
also claim that their articles arc pure and
wholesome. while some 20 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 powders knowingly,
for II Is well understood that they are
detrimental 10 health. The sale OF lime
and alum baking powers as pure and
wholesome articles is, therefore, criminal,
and it is satisfactory 10 notice that several
persons engaged in such sale have all eady
been brought TO Justice In the courts.
The official ANALYSTS have recently been
active in the pursuit of these dishonest
articles. The baking powders OF several
States have been carefully aud critically
examined The officials are surprised at
the large amount of lime and alum goods
found. II Is suggestive fact that no
baking powder except the Royal has been
found without either lime or alum, ana
many contain both DR.. Prices baking
powder has been found TO contain nearly
l2 per cent. of lime Cleyelands II per
cent. of impurities the phosphate pow
ders over IL per cent. of lime.
The chief service of lime Is 10 add
weight 1t is true that line, when sub
iected to heat, gives of certain amount
of carbonic acid gas, but a qucklime 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 mem.
branes 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 causes or IN
digestion, dyspepsia, and those painful
diseases OF the kidneys now so prevalent.
Adulteration with lime isquite as much
to be dreaded as with alum, which has
heretofore received the most emphatic
condemnation from food analysts, ply
sicians, and chemists, for the reason that,
while alum may be partially dissolved by
the heat of baking it Is impossible to
destroy or change the nature OF the lime,
so that the entire amount in the baking
powder passes, with all It's injurious
properties, into the stomach.
The large profits from the manufacture
OF lime aud alum baking powders has
placed manv Of them In the market.
They are TO be found in the stock OF al
most every retail dealer, and are urged
upon customers calling for baking pow
ders upon all occasions. Because OF their
well known detrimental character II Is
desirable that prompt means be taken TO
suppress their manufacture.
Pure baking powders are one OF the
chief aids to the cook in preparing per-
| feet and wholesome food While those
are 10 be obtained Of well-established re-
putation, Ike the Royal, Of whose puri y
there has never been aquestion, il is pro-
per to avoid all Others.