Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-05-16
Dangerous Food Adulteration.
The Fraudulent use OF Alum and Lime
I'm Cheap Ba king Powders.


The Fraudulent use OF Alum and Lime
In Cheap baking Powders.
If consumers prefer to buy an adul-
terated article of food because it can
be had at a lower price, they I'M
doubtedly 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 customers is not de-
deceived as to their real character,
the transaction is not Legitimate.
But the great danger in the traffic
in adulturated food arises from the
deception that is practised by manu-
facturers usually chasing such goods
as pure. This is almost invariably
done when the adulterant is one that
is injurious to health. For instance,
manufacturers of alum and lime
baking powders not only fail to in
form the public Of the real character
of their goods, but carefully conceal
the fact that they are made from
poisonous articles. Most of these
manufacturers also claim that their
articles are pure and wholesome,
while some go still further and pro-
claim boldly they are cream of tartar
goods, or even the genuine Royal
Baking Powder itself. No consumer
will buy alum baking powders know
ingly, for it is well understood that
they are detrimental to health. The
sale of lime and alum baking pow
ders as pure and wholesome articles
is, therefore, criminal, and it is salts
factory to notice that severals 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
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. DIR. Prices
baking powder has been found to
contain nearly II per cent. of lime;
Cleveland's II per cent. of impuri-
ties; the phosphate powders over II
per cent. of lime.
The chief service of lime is to add
weight. 1t is true that lime, when
subjected to heat, gives of certain
amount of carbonic acid gas, but
quicklime 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 one of the causes
of Indigestion, dyspepsia, and those
painful diseases of the kidneys now
so prevalent.
Adulteration with lime is as much
to be dreaded as with alum, which
heretofore received the most emphat-
ic condemnation from food analysts,
physicians and chemists, for the rea-
son 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 its injurious properties, into
the stomach.
The large profits from the manu-
facture of lime and alum baking pow
ders has placed many of them in the
market. They are to be found in the
stock of almost every retail dealer,
aud are urged upon customers calling
for baking powders upon all occa-
sions. Because of their well-known
detrimental character it is desirable
that prompt means be taken to sup
press their manufacture.
Pure baking powders are one of
the chief aids to the cook in pre-
pairing perfect and wholesome food.
While those are to be obtained of
well established reputation, like the
Royal, of whose purity there has
never been question, it is proper to
avoid all others.