Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-05-10
DANGEROUS ADULTERATION.
THE FRAUDULENT USE OF ALUM AND
LINE IN CHEAP BAKING POWDERS

THE FRAUDULENT USE OF ALUM AND
LINE IN CHEAP BAKING POWDERS
If consumers prefer to buy an adulter-
ated article of food because it can be had
at a lower price they undoubtedly have
the right to do so, provided the adulter-
ants are not of a character injurious to
health. If such articles are not falsely
sold as pure and the customer is not de-
ceived as to their real character, the trans
action is not illegitimate.
But the great danger in the traffic in
adulterated food arises from the decep-
ton that is practiced by manufacturers
usually CHASING such goods as pure.
This is almost invariably done when the
GGulterant is one that is injurious to
health. For instance, manufacturers of
alum and lime baking powders not only
%ail to inform the public of the real char
acter Of their goods, but carefully conceal
the fact that they are made from these
poisonous articles. Most of these manu-
facturers 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 genu-
inc Royal Baking Powder itself. No con-
sumner will buy alum baking powders
knowingly, for it is well understood that
they are detrimental to health. The sale
of lime and alum baking powders as pure
and wholesome articles is, therefore, Grim
inal, and 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 tie pursuit of these dishonest
Tho hel-ir,r DOu6arc of cauaraI
States have been carefully and critically
examined. The officers 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. Dr. Prices baking
powder has been found to contain nearly
IL per cent. of lime; Cleyeland's II per
cent. of impurities; the phosphate pow
ders over II per cent. of lime.
The chief service of lime is to add
weight. 1t is true that lime, when sub
jected to heat, gives off d certain amount
of carbOnic acid gas, but a quick-lime is
left-a cauStie 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 in
to the system>day after day, and with al
most every meal. This is said by physi-
clans to be one of the causes of indigeS-
ton, dyspepsia, and those painful diseas-
es of the kidneys now so prevalent.
Adulteration with lime is quite as much
to be dreaded as with alum, which has
heretofore received the most emphatic
condemnation from food analysts, physi-
clans and chemists, for the reason that.
while alum may be partially dissolved by
the heat of baking it is impossible to de
stroy 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 manufacture
of lime and alum baking powders has
placed many of them i'll the market.
They are to be 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 manu-
facture.
Pure baking powders are one of the
chief aids to the cook in preparing per
feet and wholesome food. While those
are to be obtained of ell-established rep
utation, like the Royal, of whose purity
there has never been a question, it is
proper to avoid all others.