The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1891-03-26
BAKING POWDERS ONCE MORE,
"rhs Effects of Ammonia" According to
the Scientific American.

BAKING POWDERS ONCE MORE
"Iha Effects of Ammonia" According to
the Scientific American.
Many combinations of chemicals have
been proposed and tried Tor baking pow
ders, but the general consensus of house
keepers, as well as OF scientific authorities
has settled upon mixture of sodium bicar-
donate (baking soda) with potassium bitar-
rate Cream of tartar).
Were the above mixture of chemicals al
lowed to stand, it would soon deteriorate.
To prevent this it is mixed with an inert
substance which isolates to some extent the
particles of the mixture, so as to confer last
ing powers upon 1t. This substance is
usually -four or powdered starch, and is
termed Filling" Some filling is necessary.
About 10 per cent is the least that can be
used by the most careful manufactures, and
oil over Is per cent should be considered
an adulterant, harmless, indeed, but never
theless an imposition on the consumer.
Twenty-one baking powders are cited in
the United States department of agricult-
ure report on foods and food adulterants,
Washington, 1885, as exceeding this
amount. The amount OF starch varies from
24.57 to 5229 per cent which goes to show
how much starch is bought and paid for at
the price of baking powder. All but two
of these contain ammonia or alum, or both,
and are in the list Of powders given below.
A more important point however, is to
know what baking powders are adulterated
with alum or ammonia as the continued
use of such powders, according to many
authorities, Injuries the health.
The use of alum in baking powder has
been prohibited in England, France and
Germany and q law has recently been
passed in Minnesota requiring manu'ac-
turers using alum to publish on the label.
This baking powder contains alum, end
the Canadian government report says
(page 27): THE residue let in the
bread after use of an alum powder are
sulphate of ammonia, sulphate of soda,
anu alumina. The last named is an earthly
substance quite insoluble and there. ore in
digestible." page 81 Alum is entirely
Objectionable AS a substitute for cream of
tartar, and ought not to be allowed place
in any " ell appointed bakery"
The insidious effects of ammonia as an
adulterant in baking powders are not SO
Veil known, but Bartholow sums up the
evidence against ammonia as follows: The
long continued use Of ammonia impairs
digestion by neutralizing the gastric juice.
Increased waste of tissue is also one result
emaciation and 1eebleness." And the Pa
ctic Medical Journal, commenting on the
cause Of dyspepsia, saws (paEe 6SO:
This question regarding the effect OF
ammonia upon the human economy is one
upon which authorities do not differ, and
the individual experience of every physi-
clan is in accord with the assertion Of au-
thorities The agent (ammoria) is drug,
not food; an eXcrement, not nutriment.
The amount received by the system through
these means while not great at any par
ticular time, and not sufficient to prove in
| furious, becomes both great and deleterious
ny being continuous. Physicians owe it TO
their patients and to the people generally
to in Orm themselves regarding this matter,
| and without lear or favor unQualitiedly
to condemn in furious preparations; and tie
| various boards OF health throughout the
state, in dealing with the question OF food
| authorizations, would do the people q great
service to look we'll to the brands OF baking
powders containing ammonia and other in
| furious ingredients"
In the face of such testimony, quantities
of ammonia are used, one company, it is
estimated, using every year i'll the manu-
facture Of their baking powder two hundred
and fifty thousand (250 O00) pounds. 1t is a
common right OF the people to know what
food compounds contain. There is, how
| ever no law to that effect at present and
! for the protection of the public we have
compiled list of baking powders contain
ing ammonia and alum from five official
reports viz: United States department of
agriculture Bulletin No ID; inland revenue
department. Canada, Bulletin No. 10; Ohio
dairy and food commission, New Jersey
dairy commission and the Massachusetts
state board of health. 1t is a list worth
! preserving.
AMMONIA AND ALUM BAKING POWDERS.
(Com piled from official reports.( Powders
owl a6 wit Efa RI h0V cnn al
sale, as they are mentioned in at least two
Of the official reports
American Gilt Edge *Kenton
atlantic & Pacific Lincoln
R 1noo say Z yMcasorse hSsoD9
Brunswick Metropolitan
Burnett's Perfect New Era
Can't Be Beat Ocean Foam
| Capitol Ocean Wave
| Carlton Old Colony
| Centennial One Spoon
| Challenge On Top
| COOKS Acme OriOle
Cooks Best Our Best
Cooks Choice Our Own
Cooks Favorite *Patapsco
| Cooks Finest Pearsons
Coral Perfection
Cottage Peerless
crown Pride OF Ottawa
Crystal Pride OF Toronto
Daisy Princess
*Davis OK. Purity
Dixon's
Dooleys Scioto
Dry Yeast Silver Cream
| Eclipse Silver Queen
Empire Silver Spoon
ENTERPRISE HSilver Star
Eureka Silver Thimble
Feather Weight Snowdrft
Fleur de Lis Sovereign
Forest City Springfield
Four Ace Star
Gem State
George Washington Standard
Globe Sterling