Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-04-07
DANGEROUS FOOD ADULrERATIoN
THE FRAUDULENT USE OF ALUM AM
LIME IN CHEAP BAKING POWDERS.


THE FRAUDULENT USE OF ALUM AMI
! LIME IN CHEAP BAKING POWDERS.
If consumers prefer to buy an adul
terated article of food because il
can be had at a lower price they un
doubtedly have the right to do so
provided the adulterants are not of 8
character injurious to health. II such
articles are not falsely sold as pure and
the customer is not deceived as tt
their real character, the transaction is
not illegitimate.
But the great danger in the traffic iI
adulterated food arises from the de
ception that is practiced by manufac-
turers usually CHASING such goods as
pure. This is almost invariably done
when the adulterant is one that is in.
furious to health. For instance, man
ufacturers 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 the sepoison.
Gus articles. Most of these manufactur.
ersalso claim that their articles are
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 un-
derstOod that they are detrimental to
health. The sale of lime and alum
baking powders as pure and whole
some articles is, therefore, criminal,
aud it is satisfactory to notice that
several persons engaged in such sale
have already been brought to justice
in the courts.
The Official analysts have recently
been active in the pursuit of these dis
honest articles. The baking,powder of
several States have been carefully and
critically examined. The officials are
surprised at the large amount of lime
and alum goods found. 1t is sugges.
tive fact that no baking powder
except the Royal has been found
without either lime or alum, and many
contain both. DIR. Prices baking pow
der has been found to contain nearly
u per cent. of lime; Cleveiand's Ii
per cent. of impurities the phosphate
powders over u per cent. of lime.
The chief service of lime is to add
weight. 1t is true that lime, when
subjected to heat, gives off certain
amount of carbonic 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
with almost every meal. This is said
by physicians to be enc ofthe causes of
indigestion, dyspepsia. and those pain
full diseases Of the kidneys now so pre-
valent. .-.:
Adulteration with lime is quite as
much to be dreaded as with alum,
which has heretofore received the
most emphatic condemnation from
food analysts, physicians and chem
lists, 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 pow
der passes, with all its injurious proper
ties, into the stomach.
The large profits from the manufac
ture of lime and alum baking powders
has placed many of them in the mar
ket. They are to he found in the stock
of almost every retail dealer, and are
urged upon customers calling for bak-
ing powders upon all occasions. Be
cause of their well-known detrimental
character it is desirable that prompt
means be taken to suppress their man
utacture.
Pure baking powders are one of the
chief aid to the cook in preparing per-
feet and wholesome food. While
those are to be obtained of well-estab-
lished reputation, like the Royal, of
whose purity there has never been a
question, it is proper to avoid all 9TH
erS.