Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1888-06-11
FooD ADULTERATIoN
Tho Fraudulent Use OF Alum and Lime
In Dheap Baking powders.

II consumers prefer TO buy on adul-
terated article OF food because IL can be
had at a lower prlos, they undoubtedly
have the tight TO do SO, provided the
sdulkerants are not o. character In.
juyious to health. II such articles are
not falsely sold as pure, and The Gus.
toner 10 not deceived as to their real
character, the transaction ls not illegiti
mats.
Bat the great danger In the traffic in
laduiterated food arises from the deoep.
tion that 10 practiced by manufacturers
usually olAssinR suoh goods ~ pure.
This is almost invariably done when
the adulterant is one that is injurious
TO health. For instance, manufacturers
OF alum aud lime baking posders not
only fail TO inform the public OF the
real character Of their goods,> but care
fully conceal the fact that they are
made from these poisonous articles.
Most OF these manufacturers also olAlm
that thelr articles are pure and whole.
come, while Bone 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 powders know
ingly, for 1t 10 we'll understood that they
are detrimental TO health. This sale OF
lime and alum baking powders as pure
and wholesome articles is, therefore,
criminal, aad 1t Is tatlsfaotory 70 notice
thet several persons engaged In such
sale have alfeS y been brought to JUS
tioe In tto cnuats
The official analysts have recently
been active In the pureuit Of these dis
honest articles. The baking powders
OF several States have been carefully
aud cfitit ally examined. The offl olAls
are surprised at the large amount OF
lime and alum goods found. 1t is y
suggestive fact that no baking powder
except the Roy al has been found with.
, ont either lime or alum, and many con-
tain both. DIR, Prics's baking powder
has been found to contain nearly IL per
cent. OF lime; Clevelsni's IL per cent.
of Impurities; the phosphate powders
over 70 per cent. OF lime.
| The chief service OF lime is to add
weight. 1t Ia certain that lime, when
subjected TO heat, gives eff certain
amount of csrbonio aoid gas, but q
euiok-llme Ia leit-a caustic Of moti
. powerful nature, A email quantity oi
4 dry lime upon the tongue or in the eye
] prodnoes pAinful effects; how much
more serious must these etf.c.s be on
the delicate membranes Of the stomach
, lArly of infants and ohi!dren, and espe
cially when the lime is taken Into th'
System day after day, and with almos
. every msel. This is said By physiclAni
I to be one OF the causes Of indigestion
dyspepsin aud those painful diseases o
l the kidneys now so prevalent,
/ Adulteration with lime is quite s
much to be dreaded as with alum
J which has heretofore received the mos
! emphatic condemnation nom foo;
analysts, physicians aud chemists, TO
the reason that while alum may be par
TALLY dissolved by the heat Of bakiul
1t ia Impossi BILE to destroy or change tn
= = nature OF the lime 90 that the entir
? amount In the baking powder passes
with ell Its injurious properties Int
= the stomach.
y The large profits from the manufac
!. ture of lime and alum baking powder
: has placed many Of them In the market
They are to be found In the stock
= almost every retail dealer, and ara u:'
y Red upon customers calling for bakin
: powders upon all occasions. Becaul
y OF their well known detrimental cha
y y acter 1t Is desirable that prompt NEAR
/, te taken to suppress their mAnnfantur
., Pore baking powders are ono OF n
y chief sids to the cook In preparing pei
u feet aud wholesome food. While tho
are to be obtained Of well. establisht
reputation, like the Royal, OF who
purity there has never been questio
~ IL IL proper to avoid all others.