588 FOODS AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



materials. Although 110 octahedral crystals could be distinctly made out, yet there 

 were some fragments of soda alum, which is as good as any other alum for making 

 baking-powders, so far as chemical and physiological effects are concerned. It is 

 more likely to be affected by moisture than "burnt alum." 



Sample No. 29. This powder was very strongly alkaline, containing so great an 

 excess of bicarbonate (or carbonate) of soda that if the proper amount of crearn of 

 tartar had been used the powder would have yielded about 11 per cent, of carbonic- 

 acid gas. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



Our investigations show that while especially the higher grades of cream of tartar 

 and acid phosphate of lime powders are maintained at a quite uniform standard of 

 excellence, the State is flooded, also, with many baking-powders of very poor qual i ty 

 cheap goods, poorly made. Of the thirty-nine brands examined, twenty-five contain 

 alum or its equivalent, in the shape of some soluble alumina compound ; eight are 

 cream of tartar powders, with small quantities of other ingredients in several cases; 

 four are acid phosphate of lime powders ; two belong properly under none of the 

 above classes. 



With one exception, the powders containing alum all fall below the average 

 strength of the cream of tartar powders, and in the majority of cases they fall much 

 below the better grades of the cream of tartar powders. 



In the cream of tartar and the acid phosphate of lime powders, no indications of 

 substances likely to be injurious to health, in the quantities used, have been found. 



More evidence against the use of alum in baking-powders might have been pre- 

 sented, but it would have been of a similar nature to that which has already been given. 

 In the writers opinion, the presence of alum in bakiug-powders is objectionable, 

 since, under certain conditions, it may exert an injurious effect on the digestion. 

 The effects may not be very marked in the case of any individual consumer, but that 

 they can be induced to a greater or less extent seems to be well established. 



There appears to be ample ground for requiring that the makers of baking-powders 

 should publish the ingredients used in their powders, in order that the consumer, 

 who may justly have doubts of the desirability of using certain kinds, may be pro- 

 tected. At present the only guaranty of an undoubtedly wholesome and efficient 

 article appears to be the name of the brand. 



Moreover, since it is quite possible to put up the baking-powders in such a way as 

 to preserve their strength very thoroughly, and since it is evident that many makers 

 fail in this respect, it would not seem unreasonable to require that baking-powders 

 should not be sold unless they will yield a certain percentage of carbonic-acid gas. 

 The bad effects of the "heavy" food prepared with some of the baking-powders 

 among our samples must certainly be felt by those who use them, and who are yet 

 too ignorant to know where the trouble lies. It is for this class especially that nearly 

 all legislation 'relating to securing good food and drugs is enacted. 



Since it is evident that some of the alum powders are so prepared as to increase 

 the extent of any injurious effect, owing to the mixture of ingredients whose combi- 

 nation can not be justified on any grounds, it is recommended that a special and 

 more thorough examination of such be made, with a view to preventing their man- 

 ufacture. 



APPENDIX. 



1. In bread made from Orange baking-powder, page, according to directions. 

 there was found, in a condition readily soluble in tepid water, alumina equivalent to 

 26 grains of crystallized ammonia alum per 2-pouud loaf. 



2. With reference to Professor Patrick's experiments on cats, the, writer had bis- 

 cuit made with a "straight" alum baking-powder, using twelve, times the proper 

 amount of the powder. The biscuit had a bitter, nauseating taste, and must have 

 been very indigestible, so that no fair conclusions could be drawn from its use. 



