The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-04-07
DANGEROUS FOOp ADULrERArION.
The Fraudulent use Of Alum aud Lime In
Cheap baking Powders.

IL consumers prefer 10 buy an adulterat
ed article of food because II can be had at
a lower price, they undoubtedly have the
right to do So provided the adulterants are
not of character Injurious 10 health. IL
such articles are not falsely sold rs pure,
and the customer Is MT deceived as to
their real character, tho transaction Is not
illegitimate.
But the great danger In the traffic 10
adultersted food arises from the deception
that Is practiced by manufacturers usually
CHASING such goods as pure. This Is al
most invariably done when the adulterant
Is one that IL Injurious TO health. For In
stance, manufacturers 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 articles. 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 bak
ing powder knowingly, for II Is we'll un-
derstoOd that they are detrimental ~
health. The sale of lime and alum baking
powders as pure and wholesome articles
is therefore, criminsl anu 1t Is satisfactory
TO notice that several persons engaged Ia
such sale have already been brought to
Justice In the courts.
The official analyses have recently been
active In the pursuit of these dishonest
articles. The baking powders of several
States have been carefully and critically
examined. The officials are surprised al
the large amount of lime and alum goods
POUNDS. 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 contain nearly
II per cent of lime; Cleveland's IL per
cent of impurities; the phosphate pow
ders over 12 per cent of lime.
The chief service of lime Is TO add
weight. 1t Is true that lime, when sub
jected to heat, gives of certain amount
of carbonic acid gas, but quick.lime is
left-a caustc of most powerful nature. A
small quantity of dry lime upon the tongue
or In the eye, produces painful effects
how much mere serious must these effects
be on the delicate membranes OF the stom-
ach, intestines and Kidneys more particu-
larly 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 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 emf hatiC con.
domination from food analysts, physicians
and chemists, for the reason that while
alum may be partially dissolved by the
heat of baking II is impossible to destroy
or change the nature of the lime so tina.
the entire amount in the baking powder
passes, with all its injurious properties, into
the stomach.
The large profits from the manufacture
of lime and alum baking powders has
placed many of them In the market. They
are to be found in the stock of almost every
retail dealer, and are urged upon customers
calling for Daking powders upon all occa,
sions Because of their we'll known detri.
mental character II Is desirable that prompt
means be taken to suppress their manufac-
ture.
Pure baking powders are one of the
chief aids to the cook In preparing perfect
and wholesome food. While those are to
he obtained of we'll established reputation
like the Royal, of whose purity there has
never been a question. 1t is proper to avoid
| all others.