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BAKING POWDER
AND
OTHER LEAVENING AGENTS
By F. N. FOOT
THE SPICE MILL PUBLISHING COMPANY
521 Waihingtom Street
NEW YORK
of
Copyrighted, 1906.
The Spice Mill Publishing Company
CONTENTS
PAGE
I. — Some Comparisons 7
II. — Baking Powder Materials 12
III. — The Acid Ingredients 17
IV. — Chemical Action of Baking Powder. . . 23
V. — The Residuum 30
VI. — Approximate Formula of Some Pop-
ular Brands 39
VII. — Suggestive Formulae and Cost Com-
putation 46
VIII. — Manufacturing Equipment 54
IX. — The Process of Manufacture 65
X. — Advertising Suggestions 75
XI. — Practical Hints 80
Index 83
575359
CHAPTER I
SOME COMPARISONS
THE manufacture of baking powder seems so
simple a matter that a book on this subject
would hardly appear to be demanded. It is a
fact, however, that many houses that have been emi-
nently successful in other lines, never have made any
pronounced success with baking powder, and we are
also told that some of the foremost manufacturers in
this line have made mistakes that have cost them hun-
dreds and even thousands of dollars to rectify.
In view of these facts we believe that a careful con-
sideration of the subject by those now in the business
and a more careful consideration by those who are con-
templating it, is of sufficient importance to justify the
time that a perusal of these pages will require.
We have consulted many well informed chemists and
manufacturers regarding much of the contents of this
book and have profited by their experience and ob-
servation.
Let us first consider the process of leavening and how
it is accomplished by the various leavening agents.
S '•'<,<'':;,, j Making powder
All bread, biscuit, cakes, etc., owe their lightness
or spongy quality to some kind of a leavening agent,
of which yeast and baking powder are the most im-
portant. Sour milk, combined with saleratus or soda,
is also largely used to accomplish the same purpose.
Without a leavening agent, all bread would be like that
referred to in Scripture as "unleavened/'or simply a hard,
tough, solid mass, or cake, which one would find difficult
to eat and in no way inviting.
The leavening is produced by a gas diffused through-
out the dough and generated either before or in the
process of baking.
Yeast being essentially the germ of fermentation,
when it is introduced into the dough and allowed to
stand in a warm atmosphere for a certain length of
time, fermentation results, a part of the dough is de-
composed and a gas commonly called carbonic acid
gas is evolved, and continues to form during the first
part of the baking process. In a baking powder there
is simply the action of one chemical upon another, by
which this same gas and perhaps other gases are evolved
and new chemical combinations are created. In the use
of sour milk or buttermilk, the chemical action is much
the same as in baking powder, the lactic acid which has
been formed by the souring of the milk taking the place
of the cream of tartar or other acid ingredient of the
baking powder.
Some authorities, writing upon this subject, seem to
take it for granted that yeast and baking powder are
used with about the same facility in any kind of cookery ;
in this they are mistaken. Generally speaking, yeast
is used for bread, rolls and buns, and often for buck-
SOME COMPARISONS 9
wheat cakes, while for making cakes and pastry, baking
powder is almost a necessity. The word "biscuit" is
used in different localities to mean so many different
things, that it is difficult to say just what a biscuit is,
but as it is most generally known, it is made with baking
powder or sour milk and soda. Baking powder is not
used in what is generally known as bread. The different
kinds of bake-stuffs in which yeast and baking powder are
used hardly make a comparison necessary, yet there
are one or two things worth noting. After bread, or any
other bake-stuff, has become two or three days old, if
thoroughly baked, it becomes dry and in some degree
hard, and every vestige of fermentation is gone, the re-
sult being practically the same, whatever the leavening
agent. Most of us, however, prefer to eat it fresh, and
if we make a comparison of fresh breads, as to health-
fulness, we shall find it to the advantage of the baking
powder. This is due mainly to the fact that fermen-
tation remains in the yeast -raised bread after it is baked,
to make havoc in a delicate stomach; the yeast-raised
bread contains much more moisture, so that the dough
seems to mass together in the stomach in a sort of soggy
condition, much more than results when bread is raised
with baking powder, and many people find that they
suffer from eating fresh yeast-raised bread, while they
may eat hot baking powder biscuit without inconven-
ience, and will bear us out in this conclusion from their
own experience. The uncertainty as to results is greatly
reduced in using a reliable baking powder, because the
ingredients are in exact proportions, while in yeast
bread it may be heavy or imperfectly leavened or too
light and sour. Besides this, the fact that yeast raised
IO BAKING POWDER
bread is partly decomposed by the action of the fer-
ments, is not in its favor.
There is, however, one point that has been raised
against baking powder of all kinds that we do not think
important, but may be worth a passing notice, and it
being our purpose to consider everything pertaining to
the subject impartially, we here present it. The re-
siduum from any kind of baking powder is a mineral
substance remaining in the bread and having a distinct
medicinal effect. It is but a homeopathic dose, and if
it comes into a system that needs just that medicine,
good may result; otherwise, there may be a deleterious
effect, so slight as not to be noticeable at the time, but
in the end of some importance. We never knew but one
man, however, and he a man of prominence, who was
consistent about the use of minerals in food, and he ex-
cluded even salt from his table, as well as all dishes pre-
pared with it. We don't know whether his experience
was satisfactory, but we do know that he is dead and we
still live.
In regard to the use of sour milk or buttermilk, the
principal argument in favor of this form of leavening
power is cheapness, but this, of course, applies only
under certain conditions; if milk has to be bought, as in
the city, it would be a most expensive kind of leavening
agent. Buttermilk is preferable to other sour milk, as
it contains butter fat, which adds to the richness of the
food, and in the opinion of many, either sour milk or
buttermilk produces a more palatable biscuit. In the
action of the lactic acid on the soda (bicarbonate) or
saleratus (bicarbonate of potash), there is always un-
certainty as to the result, because the amount of acid
SOME COMPARISONS II
is a varying quantity that keeps the cook always guess-
ing as to how much soda to use, and the result is largely
a matter of luck; sometimes the biscuit or cake will be
decidedly sour and at other times there will be an excess
of alkali that will make yellow biscuit that is anything
but appetizing; besides all this, there is not enough acid
in the milk to produce a really light biscuit, even though
the other, conditions are favorable, but this difficulty
may be overcome, however, by adding a small amount
of baking powder, in addition to the other ingredients.
CHAPTER II
BAKING POWDER MATERIALS
IN selecting the materials for baking powder, two or
three things should be considered, one of which is
the healthfulness of the ingredients and more especially
of the resulting chemical combinations which remain
in the biscuit.
The first is of minor importance, because all the in-
gredients used are almost entirely neutralized, but the
character of the residuum may be a more serious matter.
The amount of gas-producing power should also be con-
sidered, because it is desirable to make a powder equal
to the best in leavening strength, and this also has an in-
direct effect on the cost. Another desirable quality is
the giving off of the gas somewhat regularly from the
time the dough is made until the process of baking is
complete, which produces bake-stuffs of more even and
firmer texture, and yet the lightest that can be made.
Still another feature is the selection of ingredients
that will not give any bad taste or smell to the bake-
stuff and also that no bad odor be given off in cooking.
All baking powders consist essentially of acid and
BAKING POWDER MATERIALS 13
alkaline ingredients, which act upon each other when
heat and moisture are present, and in most cases of a
neutral substance, such as starch or flour, to keep the
other ingredients from acting before the powder is wet
up or baked.
Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda is the only alkali
in general use. It is easily neutralized, gives off a large
amount of gas and is cheap, and the ordinary soda of
commerce is so nearly pure as to practically insure the
manufacturer a satisfactory article. Besides this article,
carbonate of magnesia, usually spoken of as magnesia,
is used in small proportions. It produces about the
same amount of gas per pound as bicarbonate of soda,
but requires twice the amount of acid to neutralize it.
It serves an excellent purpose, however, as it is ex-
tremely light, its bulk being about seven times as much
as soda, and for this reason it increases the bulk of the
baking powder and the buyer is more easily convinced
that he has good value for his money. For the same
reason, also, baking powder made with magnesia is a
better keeper, because the other ingredients do not lie
as closely together. There is also another argument
in its favor when used in connection with soda; it is
desirable to have enough alkaline substance to thor-
oughly neutralize all the acid, and to be on the safe side
we want an excess of alkali, but if we have any appre-
ciable excess of soda, the biscuit will be yellow; if, how-
ever, the soda is well within the limit, it will act before
the magnesia and will be entirely neutralized; then the
magnesia, which is more inert, will take up the remaining
acid and an excess of magnesia being, of course, only a
small percentage, is not in any way objectionable.
14 BAKING POWDER
Sesquicarbonate of ammonia has also been success-
fully used in baking powder and is an excellent leaven-
ing agent. It may be entirely volatilized or changed
into gas, leaving no residuum whatever, being, in fact,
a complete baking powder in itself, as it requires no acid
to neutralize it. It has proven, also, to be a valuable
addition in baking powders that were evenly balanced
without it so far as the acid and alkali are concerned.
The principal users of this article abandoned it a long
time since, however, because there is a deep-seated
popular prejudice against ammonia, founded, no doubt,
on a knowledge of the first sources from which it was
obtained. Ammonia gas is given off in large quantities
in cooking and the odor is very pronounced, so that its
presence is readily recognized. No substantial reason
exists for the prejudice referred to, because all com-
mercial ammonia is now obtained from coal as a by-
product in the manufacture of illuminating gas.
Egg albumen, which is in use by some manufacturers,
we do not consider of any real value in the proportions
in which it is used. We believe that it was first used
in baking powder on account of the effect it would pro-
duce in showing up the powder mixed up in a glass of
water. The starch and albumen thicken up the water
so that a good body of foam is made to stand in the
glass, while any baking powder that contains only a
small amount of starch and no albumen will not foam up
in this way. Albumen is of some value as a leavener,
but its cost prohibits its use in proportion large enough
to be of any real efficiency.
The neutral substances used in baking powder con-
sist principally of flour, corn starch, rice flour and terra
BAKING POWDER MATERIALS 1 5
alba. The objection to wheat flour and similar sub-
stances is that they often contain the larvae of weevils
and other insects that develop worms, etc., in the baking
powder, and there is no way of guarding against them.
Corn starch, therefore, is the practical thing; being
made by a chemical process, it is free from any danger
of this sort, but it should be examined with care, to be
sure that it is as dry as it can be made, and that it is
free from any taint of any kind, due either to partial
decomposition or to chemicals. We would suggest any
or all of the following tests :
Pour on boiling hot water and smell the fumes and
taste it. Add to another sample one-fourth the quan-
tity of tartaric acid or calcium acid phosphate and then
test with boiling hot water, in the same way; the acids
referred to are thought to bring out any objectionable
odor. Have a sample made into a corn starch pudding,
in which the other ingredients do not obscure the starch,
and eat it hot. Use it in the preparation of milk toast.
The last we have found to be very effective, as it will
bring out a very slight defect in the starch.
If starch is sufficiently dry it will gain in weight, as
it takes up moisture from the atmosphere. A little
practice will also enable you to judge of the dryness by
squeezing it in the hand and observing how it packs.
We also advise testing starch by mixing with water
to which a very small amount of litmus has been added.
Make a thin solution, and if it is exactly neutral you will
have a purple color; if alkaline, it will be blue, and if acid,
red. Neither, however, would entirely condemn it. A
perfectly neutral starch is decidedly preferable, while
an alkaline reaction suggests an objectionable quantity
l6 BAKING POWDER
of lime. A test for dryness may be made by weighing a
quantity, say ten pounds, and then drying this thor-
oughly, when it should show a shrinkage of 8 per cent.,
and would then weigh about 9 lbs. 3 oz. If the shrinkage
is over 8 per cent, the starch was not dry enough when
it left the factory.
Terra alba, two Latin words meaning white .earth,
is used only in very cheap goods and is not allowed to
be sold in many of the States of the Union. We never
have heard an argument in its favor, except its cheap-
ness, and it will kill the sale of any article of food that
contains it as soon as the fact is known.
CHAPTER III
THE ACID INGREDIENTS
THE acid ingredients used in baking powder are more
numerous than the alkalies, and may be arranged
in three classes, viz. : Tartrates, phosphates and alums.
The tartrates include hydric potassium tartrate or cream
of tartar and dihydric tartrate or tartaric acid. Cream
of tartar was the first acid ingredient used in baking
powder and the baking powders containing it have been
extremely popular from that time to the present ; doubt-
less due in the main to two facts, the most important
of which is that some of the baking powders containing
it have been extensively advertised as cream of tartar
powders, and also that as a rule these goods have been
most carefully and evenly manufactured. Its neutral-
izing strength is only 45; that is, 100 parts of cream of
tartar neutralize but 45 parts of bicarbonate of soda,
and considering this fact it is the most costly of all baking
powder ingredients.
Cream of tartar is derived from grape juice in the
process of fermentation, in which it becomes deposited
in the form of crude argols on the inside of wine casks ;
l8 BAKING POWDER
these argols contain lime and other impurities, from
which the cream of tartar is separated by a process of
refining which has reached such a degree of success that
the ordinary commercial article is now about 99 per cent,
pure. In the use of cream of tartar baking powder,
effervescing occurs while the bread is being wet up; it
is therefore necessary that the oven be very hot, so that
the biscuit can be baked immediately, or a failure is
certain; the same thing would be true if tartaric acid
were used, but not to the same extent with any other
acid ingredient in common use.
Tartaric acid has two and a half times the neutral-
izing strength of cream of tartar; it is an extremely
active acid, and can be used with safety only in small
proportions, except it be in the granular form and with a
large proportion of starch. It has been used in this way
in England, but not to any extent in the United States.
One high authority on such subjects says: "I do not
know why this * * * should be used so seldom
by baking powder manufacturers," but he evidently
did not know that it will not keep. It is a valuable ingre-
dient, however, when used in a proportion of 2 or 3 per
cent, only, because it begins the leavening process the
instant it is wet up and the leavening is therefore more
continuous and uniform, and a better result is obtained.
All phosphates in common use are similar, but do
not conform to an exact formula; they are somewhat
irregular in composition, but as furnished to the baking
powder manufacturers they are of a uniform standard
of strength. The large part consists of ortho-calcium
phosphate. They also contain free phosphoric acid in
small quantities and in the cheaper grades there are con-
THE ACID INGREDIENTS 19
siderable quantities of undissolved bone, lime, alumina
and other impurities.
These phosphates are made from bones and the better
grades are first produced in a liquid state. To this a
certain proportion of starch is added, and it is then
evaporated to dryness, the amount of added starch
being just sufficient to leave it, when dry, with a neu-
tralizing strength of 45 or 50 or about that of cream of
tartar. After the drying process, it may be ground
either into the powdered or granular form. The gran-
ular we believe to possess better keeping qualities, and
it is therefore adapted for use in a pure phosphate baking
powder, although some manufacturers claim to offer
a powdered phosphate with good keeping qualities. As
to the safety of depending on these claims, we will only
say that in each instance we would take into considera-
tion the standing of the manufacturer offering the goods
and would also make a practical test by making up
samples, and keeping them for as long a time as prac-
ticable in a comparatively warm place. This latter rule
will apply to all kinds of baking powder materials; test
everything you buy in the most practical way. Phos-
phates are also obtained from certain rock formations,
but these do not seem to possess sufficient keeping
quality to make them available for baking powder.
Acid phosphate of soda, also known as pyro-sodium
phosphate, has been used at different times and seems
to have some claim to favorable consideration. Except
for the cost, which is much higher than the phos-
phates of calcium, we should think favorably of
its use. Its healthfulness has been challenged, but
we know of no real ground for it.
20 BAKING POWDER
We do not think that a straight phosphate baking
powder, that is, a baking powder which contains no other
acid except phosphate, has ever been made with first-
class keeping qualities, and we therefore believe that the
best way to use it is in connection with alum, whereby
its virtues are preserved until they are drawn out by the
proper application of moisture and heat.
Alum is a double salt of aluminum and some other
base of which there is a large variety ; only three of the
alums, however, have been in practical use in baking
powder ; they are known as potash alum, ammonia alum
and soda alum. These various alums also exist in three
commercial forms, namely, lump alum, powdered alum
and anhydrous, or what is commonly called "burnt
alum.,, Only the last of these forms, anhydrous alum,
is now used in baking powder, it being usually known
to the trade as C. T. S., these initials being understood
to stand for "Cream of Tartar Substitute.' '
All alums are usually manufactured from clay, which
in its pure state is a silicate of aluminum. The original
form in which it was used is known as potash alum.
This served every purpose as a leavening agent, but
when used in baking powder left a bitter taste in the
product which was a decided objection. Ammonia
alum was much better in this respect, and because of
the fact that a considerable part of the ammonia is also
volatilized it possesses the highest leavening power and
would be greatly preferred were it not for the prejudice
against ammonia, to which we have already referred.
On this account its use has been about discontinued.
Sodium alum or soda alum has recently come into
use as a material for baking powder, having almost en-
THE ACID INGREDIENTS 21
tirely superseded all other alums. We will therefore
consider it at some length. It resembles both of the
other alums to which we have referred in general appear-
ance and many other characteristics. In its manufac-
ture an atom of sodium takes the place of an atom of
potassium, as it exists in the potash alum, it gives off
no odor in baking like ammonia alum and does not im-
part an unpleasant taste to the bread like potash alum.
In future reference to alum, therefore, let it be under-
stood that we refer to soda alum in the anhydrous form.
This kind of alum is practically tasteless in the bread.
As compared with all acid ingredients used in the manu-
facture of baking powder it produces the largest amount
of gas for the smallest weight of baking powder and
leaves the smallest amount of residuum, calculated on
an anhydrous basis, with the exception of ammonia alum
and tartaric acid. Soda alum has a neutralizing
strength of 97 J, or more than twice as much as
cream of tartar. It is the cheapest of all acid ingre-
dients, and when its neutralizing strength is con-
sidered the cost is extremely low. However, its
low cost is not the most important reason for considering
it favorably; there is one feature in which it far excels
all other baking powder acids, and that is in its perfect
keeping quality; besides this, if used in connection with
other acids, as it is most commonly used with phosphates,
it preserves all the other ingredients. Perhaps we could
best describe it by calling it an extremely thirsty in-
gredient ; it readily takes up all the moisture with which
it comes in contact, and thus keeps the baking powder
very dry, and even when alum is wet up in the dough
it effervesces but very little until it is heated, and the
22 BAKING POWDER
dough may stand for hours before baking, providing
alum is the only acid ingredient.
Alum, if used in bread without the other ingredients
of the baking powder, may be harmful in a small degree,
but we design to show that with these ingredients the
alum is entirely destroyed and new and harmless com-
binations are formed.
CHAPTER IV
CHEMICAL ACTION OF BAKING POWDER
IT is not necessary for our readers to take an exhaustive
course in chemistry to know something about the
chemical action or reaction that occurs in the process
of leavening. We will therefore undertake a brief ex-
planation of the most rudimentary principles on which
this chemical action is based.
Most of the substances with which we are familiar
are made up of more than one element, and this is the
case with all baking powder materials. These elements
combine under certain circumstances to form com-
pounds entirely different from either of the elements
composing them, and they combine in unvarying and
exact proportions so that their action may be deter-
mined in most cases with perfect mathematical accuracy.
A most simple example is the burning of hard coal.
Hard coal and charcoal are nearly pure carbon, and when
heated to a high temperature combine with the oxygen
of the atmosphere and produce a gas called carbon-
dioxide or carbonic acid, at the same time evolving
very much more heat and light, causing the phenomena
with which we are all familiar.
«4 BAKING POWDER
As already stated, each elementary substance com-
bines with other elements in an exact proportion ; in the
case of those elements that occur in a gaseous form these
proportions are by volume, and in those not known in
this form, in such proportions as they would probably
exist in volume if it were possible to produce them in a
gaseous form: thus water is composed of one part by
volume of oxygen and two parts of hydrogen. Each
of these volumes has a definite weight by which it is
computed, known as the combining weight. These ele-
ments are represented by symbols, usually the initial
letter, which also represents one volume; two or more
volumes are represented by small figures immediately
following the symbols — thus H represents two volumes
of hydrogen, and this being the lightest known gas, is
taken as the standard of weight, its combining weight
being the unit, or i, while oxygen is sixteen times as
heavy, and its combining weight is therefore 16.
H20 therefore represents two volumes of hydrogen
and one of oxygen, and by weight two (2) units of hy-
drogen and sixteen units of oxygen. A figure preceding
a chemical expression indicates how many quantities
are to be taken: thus 4H20 would represent four times
as much water as H20.
The following are the elements referred to in this
article:
Atomic, or
Symbol Combining Weight.
Hydrogen H 1
Oxygen O 16
Nitrogen. . - > N 14
Carbon C 12
CHEMICAL ACTION 25
Atomic, or
Symbol Combining Weight.
Sodium Na 23
Potassium K 39.1
Phosphorus P 31
Aluminum Al 27.4
Sulphur S 2i2
Calcium. C 40
Magnesium . Mg 24
Besides these we shall refer to Ammonium, which,
though composed of nitrogen and hydrogen, represented
by NH4, still seems to act the part of an elementary
substance.
Chemical action in baking powder occurs when the
baking powder comes in contact with moisture or mois-
ture and heat, and the active ingredients of the baking
powder, the acids and alkalies, act upon each other
so that, as shown in the burning of coal, the original in-
gredients are destroyed and new combinations are
formed and the leavening gas eliminated. We give on
pages 28 and 29 a table of formulae showing the reaction
that takes place with the various kinds of material in
common use.
The atomic weight referred to is the sum of the atomic
weight of all the elements in each substance, and shows
their exact proportion by weight. It will be observed
that every atom of matter that enters into this com-
bination is accounted for and the total combining weight
is exactly the same after chemical action has taken place
that it was before.
Some of our readers who are more or less familiar
with these formulae may find it a convenience to have
26 BAKING POWDER
them grouped together in this way for ready reference.
In the first formula given we see that 188.1 parts by
weight of cream of tartar and 84 parts soda produce
44 parts of gas, 18 parts of water and 2 10. 1 parts Rochelle
salts in the bread, and of the entire amount of material
used, 272.1 parts, there would be eliminated 44 parts by
weight of gas, or 16.2 per cent. This, however, is found
to be in excess of the actual, because there is some de-
terioration before the baking takes place, and the chem-
ical action is not quite perfect. If the mixing has not
been perfectly done each cubic inch of dough will not
contain exactly its proper proportion of all the ingre-
dients, and therefore will not eliminate all the gas which
it contains. Besides this, it is necessary to allow for
the amount of starch or other neutral matter in the
baking powder, and if this were 20 per cent, it would
reduce the efficiency of the baking powder in that pro-
portion, making it theoretically nearly 13 per cent.
All of these equations do not express the entire chemical
action that takes place and, perhaps, not in every in-
stance the exact chemical action, owing to a variety of
causes ; but in each case we have shown what is the prac-
tical result. In some instances there are various impur-
ities in the ingredients that reduce their strength and
perhaps introduce some other kind of chemical action
in a very small degree. In the case of ammonia alum
we have not been able to entirely substantiate our for-
mula by experiment, but have been led to the conclusion
that all the ammonia gas (NH4) may not be driven off,
a small proportion remaining in the form of ammonium
sulphate (NH4)2 S04, so that a safe formula would not
perhaps require quite so large a percentage of soda as
we have given.
CHEMICAL ACTION 27
Another matter that must be taken into considera-
tion is that there is water of crystallization, that is, water
which is taken up with the substance in its crystalline
form ; if any of this exists in the material it will make it
necessary to use a larger amount to accomplish the same
result. The residue formed after chemical action has
taken place will be increased by taking up water in this
form.
It is quite probable that other action takes place that
we have not indicated, which is only preliminary to the
final result, but this after careful study we have decided
is of little importance, because it does not effect the
final result. As an illustration it may be supposed that
in some instances a part of the gas is driven off from
the soda before it combines with the acid ingredient;
but if this should occur and the remaining sodium car-
bonate be acted upon by the acid, the total amount of
gas driven off and the residuum would be exactly the
same, both in kind and in quantity.
Where a baking powder is composed of a variety of
ingredients the final result appears to be exactly the
same as if each kind of acid acted separately; although
the chemical action that really occurs may be a rather
complicated one. For instance, in what is commonly
known as a phosphate-alum baking powder, it may be
that a phosphate of aluminum is first formed, but if so
this is afterwards decomposed by the soda and the resid-
uum that remains is practically the same as though each
acid ingredient had acted separately.
28
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CHAPTER V
THE RESIDUUM
THE skillful chemist, after he has observed the result
of a chemical action, usually proceeds to examine
the residuum ; by this we mean what remains after chemi-
cal action has taken place.
Let us proceed to do the same thing, though not ex-
actly in the same way.
We will endeavor to gather what we can from the
conclusions of chemists, physicians and others who have
made this subject a study as to what really remains in the
bread, both as to quantity and quality, and also as to the
effect on the human system.
The gist of this we have tabulated on page 32.
Sesquicarbonate of ammonia if pure produces only gas
and water. As a large part of this is ammonia gas, when
reduced to the basis of carbon dioxide, we show the equiv-
alent of over 100 per cent, of gas, because where ammonia
gas exists it is estimated at three times its weight to in-
crease it to the same basis as to volume as carbon dioxide.
We have estimated the ammonia alum on a basis of neu-
tralizing 120 parts of soda, which represents our experi-
THE RESIDUUM 3 I
ence with this substance, although theoretically it seems
to show that it would neutralize 141 parts. The anhy-
drous residuum, given in the second column, is what it
would weigh if absolutely free from water.
The third column of figures shows the percentage of
residuum in the usual crystalline form, as we would find
it at the druggist's. It will be observed that in nearly
every instance this is over 100 per cent. ; that is, the
amount of salts left in the bread after taking up water
enough to crystallize it weighs more than the baking
powder, exclusive of starch. In actual work allowance
must be made for the starch or other neutral matter ; we
therefore include in the third column a table that shows
how much starch may be added to produce a powder of
14 per cent, (theoretical) gas, which is a fair standard.
In the fifth or last column we give the percentage of
residuum that would remain from a baking powder pro-
ducing 14 per cent, (theoretically) of gas.
We have already shown the result of chemical action
with the various kinds of baking powder material, and
this table covers the same materials, showing the theo-
retical percentage of gas and also of residuum.
32
BAKING POWDER
These Tables Represent Proportions by Weight
P4 9
*S P
Pi
If
Si ■
*Ǥ
I M
0) -t->
•tig
.aJ8
Ik
Pi
^ Cream tartar and soda
Tartaric acid and soda
Magnesia and tart . acid
Sodium alum and soda
* Basic aluminum sulphate and
soda
Ammonia alum and soda (prac-
tical basis)
y." Calcium phosphate and soda ....
Sesquicarbonate of ammonia
(alone)
Phyro-sodium, phosphate and
soda
16.2
27.6
15.4
26. 7
3i-2
33-
22 .
153-5
22 .6
77.2
61.
75.2
73-3
68.8
63.2
69.
i°3-7
72.5
130.3
132.6
126.
122. 7
72.8
181.
136
49.
9-
47-4
55-
57.6
30-4
90.9
38-
89.7
37.
68.5
59-7
53.4
78.1
We observe from this table, therefore, that after we
have added starch to get the same basis of leavening
power of the three kinds of material in general use cream
of tartar produces by far the most residuum, while phos-
phate comes next and sodium alum much lower, or about
three-fourths as much as cream of tartar.
Basic and ammonia alum and tartaric acid show a
much smaller residuum than any of the others and
sesquicarbonate of ammonia shows none, but these sub-
stances are not in common use, and therefore are not
considered in the same light as the first three referred to,
though this fact certainly offers a strong argument in
their favor. There is another item, however, to be con-
THE RESIDUUM 33
sidered in the alum powders, and that is that a part of the
residuum is aluminum hydrate, an insoluble inert sub-
stance which probably does not exert any medicinal ef-
fect whatever on the system. If we consider the amount
of active salts in the residuum shown in the last column
it will reduce these figures to the following: Sodium
alum, 57.3 per cent. ; basic aluminum sulphate, 50 per
cent. ; ammonia alum, 49.5 per cent.
In regard to the medicinal effect of the residuum from
these various salts we gather the following from the
United States and National Dispensatories:
Rochelle Salts. — "Mild, cooling purgative, among
the mildest and least unpalatable of natural salts. Dose
as a purgative y* ounce to an ounce. In small and re-
peated doses does not purge but is absorbed and renders
the urine alkaline."
Sodium Tartrate. — "An agreeable purgative almost
without taste, power equal to magnesium sulphate. Dose
1*4 ounce."
Calcium (or Calcic) Phosphate. — "In certain states
of the system characterized by defective nutrition, its use
is increasing; recommended for such diseases as rickets,
phthisis, etc., and it has also proven useful in hastening
the union of fractured bones. Dose 10 to 30 grains."
Sodium Phosphate (or Di Sodic Phosphate). —
"Mild purgative, well adapted to children and persons of
delicate stomach. For this purpose the dose is 1 to 2
ounces. Also considerably used and generally in connec-
tion with other phosphates for any real or supposed de-
ficiency of phosphates in the system; best administered
with food. Dose 20 to 40 grains."
34 BAKING POWDER
Glauber's Salts. — "An efficient hydragogue and ca-
thartic in doses of J^ to I ounce. In small doses an ape-
rient and diuretic. It is an ingredient in the artificial
Cheltham salts/' We would also add that this is also
the largest chemical ingredient in the waters of some of
the most popular mineral springs.
Magnesium Tartrate. — "Similar to citrate of mag-
nesia; a mild, agreeable purgative."
From which it will be seen that the medicinal effect of
all these salts is similar, except the phosphates. The
'amount prescribed, however, as a dose is so large that we
see at once that neither of them produces any very de-
cided effect on the system in the quantities usually con-
sumed in baking powder. However, let us make a calcula-
tion as to how much that would be. For an ordinary size
family the amount of baking powder for a baking would
be 2 teaspoon fuls, or about 3 drams, say, 180 grains. If a
cream of tartar baking powder had been used this would
leave a residuum of active salts of 162.4 grains. The
result of this baking would give about thirty-two ordi-
nary size biscuits, or say five grains to each biscuit. If
phosphate baking powder were used, each biscuit would
contain but about four grains, and if sodium alum baking
powder were used there would not be over three grains
to each biscuit. Therefore, in order to get a full dose
where cream of tartar baking powder is used it would
take forty-eight to ninety-six biscuits. If phosphate bak-
ing powder were used you would require 120 to 240 bis-
cuits, and if alum baking powder were used, about 80 to
160 biscuits would be all you would require.
We observe that in the case of Rochelle salts small and
THE RESIDUUM 35
repeated doses are absorbed into the system, and this is
doubtless true of the other salts, the effect probably being
that of an aperient and diuretic in every case. It will be
seen that the prescribed dose for this purpose is about
what one would get by eating a half dozen biscuits. So
that we may fairly assume that the quantity of salts one
would consume in using any kind of baking powder
would be more beneficial than otherwise in almost any
condition of the system. We also find that a glass of
mineral springs water, such as Carlsbad or Cheltenham,
contains about as much sulphate of soda as four or five
biscuits made with alum baking powder.
Much has been said and written pro and con regard-
ing the so-called injurious effect of alum. It is a fact,
however, that nearly all the attacks on alum originate
with the manufacturers of cream of tartar baking powder ;
they are to be taken, therefore, with a great degree of
allowance. Some of the best authorities in this country
have been . strong in its support and, considering that
hundreds of tons are consumed annually and no serious
case of illness has ever been traced to alum baking powder,
we believe it to be a perfectly safe and healthful ingredi-
ent. The professor of chemistry in one of the leading
Eastern colleges, who has also taken a course in medicine,
said of it that he believed that "anyone who did not die
until he died as the result of using alum baking powder
would live to be as old as Methuselah." Many people
either do not understand or lose sight of the fact that
alum is entirely changed by chemical action in the cook
ing process, and therefore simply consider what the
effect of alum would be if this change did not take
36 BAKING POWDER
place. If it were argued that some unneutralized alum
still remains in the bake-stuff, we could reply that the
amount must be very small, and that its effect medi-
cinally, being astringent, would be to only partially
offset that of the active salts formed by the baking
powder. The amount of residuum from this substance
being smaller than that from any other baking powder
material is very much in its favor.
Aside from these influences on the digestive organs, we
have seen that phosphates have another very beneficial
effect, which may extend to those of both delicate and
robust health, and we conclude that phosphates in general
are not only harmless but we believe exert a highly bene-
ficial influence on the human system.
A grain of wheat consists essentially of three distinct
parts, the greatest of which is the starchy portion and
which goes into the system largely as "filling"; it is
easily digested and performs an important part in sus-
taining our physical organization. Another part is the
gluten, which is the harder part of the wheat, and lies
close to the bran or outer covering.
Formerly much of this was wasted, but modern ingenu-
ity in the process of milling has succeeded in recovering
nearly all of it. It contributes to the muscles of the
body.
The bran contains the third important part in the shape
of phosphates; these, of course, are all eliminated, ex-
cept in Graham or whole-wheat flour; these phosphates
contribute their wealth to the brain and sinews as well as
other parts of the system, and also aid the digestion.
When a baking powder contains a fair proportion of
THE RESIDUUM 37
phosphate the loss which the grain has suffered by part-
ing with the bran is made good by the baking powder,
so that a good phosphate baking powder, or one contain-
ing a reasonable amount of this important ingredient,
may be considered as a brain, nerve and sinew builder.
It has been argued that we get enough phosphates in
the ordinary way. This would be true if we lived largely
on potato skins and Graham bread. Most of us, however,
can utilize an excess of this kind of nutriment and are
perhaps somewhat like a young man who wanted to be
a journalist and wrote to a New York daily applying for a
staff position. He mentioned in his letter that he had
heard that a man who had a large amount of brain work
to do ought to eat fish, and asked for advice as to how
much he should eat. The answer came through the col-
umns of the paper : "Judging by the kind of a letter you
have written, we would say to eat about a whale."
It is true that we get phosphates in many other foods,
but in these days of strenuous life a little extra nutri-
tion of this character is very much in place; besides
this, the combination of phosphates that exist in the
residuum of baking powder is about the right quantity
and would seem to be just the right combination to pro-
duce the desired results in the system.
If we should attempt to decide as to the relative health-
fulness of the various classes of baking powder, we would
place the phosphate first in the list; the alum powders
next, and, considering cream of tartar powder as the only
tartrate powder in common use, we would place this last,
principally because of the larger amount of active salts
in the residuum. We think that it is probable, how*
38 BAKING POWDER
ever, as already stated, that all these salts in the pro-
portions used in baking powder will prove more bene-
ficial than otherwise.
There are, however, important advantages that can be
secured by a combination of these ingredients that we will
Hkr.uss in another chapter.
A
CHAPTER VI
APPROXIMATE FORMULA OP SOME POPULAR BRANDS
WE give on following pages approximate formulae
of a number of brands of baking powder, well
known in some sections of the country. These have been
obtained from various sources, which as the analyses of
State and Government chemists as well as by personal ex-
amination. We do not claim these formulae to be exact,
because any sample would probably vary slightly from the
maker's formula, and owing in part to the fact that chemi-
cal action takes place as soon as the chemist begins his
analysis, his results are determined mainly from the ex-
amination of the residuum, and from this he forms his
conclusion as to the materials used.
We must also consider that some of these brands of
baking powder have changed from time to time, and this,
in one or two instances, is shown by two or three different
formulae for the same baking powder.
In the case of the Royal baking powder, this at one
time contained ammonia, probably in the form of sesqui-
carbonate of ammonia, but owing to the unpopularity of
this ingredient it was taken out and only cream of tartar,
40 BAKING POWDER
soda and starch were used.- We presume, however, that
this was not so satisfactory because of its lesser leavening
power and that tartaric acid was, therefore, added. These
formulae may be considered accurate with regard to the
ingredients named, although the proportions will doubt-
less vary slightly from the amounts we have given.
They may be useful as furnishing suggestions to the
intelligent manufacturer.
It will be seen that in most instances more than one
acid ingredient is used. In the case of cream of tartar
baking powder where no other acid is used, we believe
that it is entirely on account of the prejudice in favor of
this ingredient, although there is another objection to
using cream of tartar with either phosphates or alum,
and that is due to chemical action that occurs between
these ingredients.
No conclusion can be drawn from these formulae as
to the kind of alum that is being used at this time because
nearly all manufacturers have made changes in that
article.
In estimating the phosphates used in these baking pow-
ders we have considered the amount of starch that is
incorporated into the commercial phosphate, with the pur-
pose of bringing the formula to a commercial basis, that
is to say, we have made these formulae as nearly like those
actually used by the manufacturer as we could. To illus-
trate, let us take the Rumford baking powder, which
shows by analysis about 22 parts of starch, but we esti-
mate that 8 parts had been incorporated into the phos-
phate used and therefore our formula shows the amount
of starch as 14 parts.
The approximate formulae are as follows :
APPROXIMATE FORMULA 41
ROYAL.
Cream of Tartar 54
Bicarbonate Soda 27
Sesquicarbonate Ammonia 1
Starch 18
100
ROYAL.
Cream of Tartar 5514
Bicarbonate Soda 275^
Starch 17^
100
ROYAL.
Cream of Tartar 50
Tartaric Acid • 3
Bicarbonate Soda 27
Starch 20
100
DR. PRICE'S.
Starch 21
Bicarbonate Soda 2^/2
Cream of Tartar 531^
100
DR. PRICE'S CREAM.
Cornstarch 21
Cream of Tartar 48
Tartaric Acid 3
Soda 28
100
42 baking powder
Cleveland's.
Starch 9
Bicarbonate Soda 29^
Cream of Tartar 6iJ^
100
SEA FOAM.
Starch 10
Bicarbonate Soda 30
Cream of Tartar 60
100
de land's.
Bicarbonate Soda 30
Cream of Tartar 70
100
No neutral matter except it be tartrate of potassium
and sodium, which may have been due to deterioration
of the baking powder, as it showed a smaller amount of
available gas than baking powders containing a filler
usually show.
shilling's best.
Practically the same as DeLand's ; contains no filler.
ROYAL (MADE IN ENGLAND NOT ROYAL B. P. CO.)
Starch 48
Tartaric Acid Granular 25
Bicarbonate Soda Granular 27
100
approximate formula 43
rumford's.
Starch 14
Phosphate 58
Bicarbonate Soda 28
100
PATAPSCO.
Starch 37
Anhydrous Alum 30
Bicarbonate Soda 33
100
CROWN.
Starch 51
Alum 24
Bicarbonate Soda 25
100
ONE SPOON.
Starch 18
Alum 40
Bicarbonate of Soda 42
100
BON BON.
Starch 56
Alum 21
Soda 23
100
44 BAKING POWDER
KENTON BAKING POWDER.
Starch 40
Alum 20
Phosphate 14
Bicarbonate Soda 26
100
ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC.
Starch 37
Alum 21
Phosphate 17
Bicarbonate Soda 25
100
PATAPSCO.
Starch 42
Alum 19
Phosphate 20
Bicarbonate of Soda 19
100
DAVIS — (R. B.).
Starch 31
Alum 18
Phosphate 22
Bicarbonate of Soda 29
100
APPROXIMATE FORMULA 45
I. C.
Starch 43
Alum 24
Phosphate 6
Bicarbonate of Soda 27
100
CALUMET.
Starch 34
Alum 20
Phosphate 17
Albumen 1
Bicarbonate of Soda 28
100
ADDITIONAL FORMULA.
CHAPTER VII
SUGGESTIVE FORMULA AND COST COMPUTATION
THE following observations with regard to the accom-
panying formulae will be helpful to manufacturers
of baking powder who desire to use them :
The first and second formulae given are for the simplest
kind of alum baking powder. If the materials are all
first-class it will be a satisfactory article, and, consider-
ing the very low cost, a good baking powder. The
difference between the available and theoretical gas in No.
i may be more than in other formulae, owing to the
fact that the ammonia gas which is reckoned in is not
eliminated until the baking process is well under way
and the crust has, perhaps, begun to form. We have
already discussed the relative merits of Sodium and
Ammonium Alum.
The formula No. 3, being a phosphate powder, can be
made most successfully from granular phosphate. There
are manufacturers who make other phosphates which
they recommend for pure phosphate powders, and if used,
we would advise manufacturing according to their plans
SUGGESTIVE FORMULA 47
and formulae. We do not believe, however, that a perfect
keeping baking powder can be made with phosphate as
the only acid ingredient. All things considered, we de-
cidedly advise the use of more than one acid ingredient
for a first-class baking powder, and believe that several
acid ingredients are preferable. This is demonstrated
in formula No. 7, and the operation of this baking powder
is something as follows : Just as soon as water is added
to the dough, the process of effervescence begins — due
to the quick action of the tartaric acid. Then, as it is
being wet up, the elimination of gas continues by the
action of the phosphate, and finally during the baking
process, the alum acts and continues to act until the baking
is completed. The effect on the bake-stuffs is that it
produces a very porous substance, in which there would
be no large holes, but it will be symmetrically aerated and
the crust will also be more even and present a better ap-
pearance. So far as the healthfulness of the baking
powder is concerned, we believe that it is improved by
using a variety of acid ingredients, and the keeping quality
is also decidedly better on account of the proportion of
alum or C. T. S.
In manufacturing a pure phosphate or pure cream of
tartar baking powder the greatest care should be used
or these powders will rapidly deteriorate. In the first
place, the starch should be super-dried. All starch ex-
posed to the atmosphere contains about 8 per cent, of
moisture, which can be eliminated by heat, and this
moisture must be driven out and the starch used at once,
before it has time to take up more, which it will do very
quickly, if left exposed in the atmosphere. Then the
48 BAKING POWDER
baking powder should be put in the cans and sealed up
as quickly as possible after it is made.
Soda should also be used in pure phosphate and pure
cream of tartar baking powders, in the granular form.
The other ingredients, except the starch, can also be used
to advantage in this form, because it has been discovered
that the ingredients in the granular form keep much better
than if powdered.
At the present cost of materials in markets where they
can be procured to the best advantage, the first baking
powder named should be made for a little above 2 cents
per pound, for the first cost of materials.
In addition to this, we would add a certain amount per
pound for the work of manufacturing, a percentage for
waste, and a percentage covering the cost of supervision
and all the general expenses of the business. These items
will vary with different manufacturers, under different
conditions, but the following memorandum would prob-
ably serve the purpose for many of our readers.
Let us take for example formula No. 1 :
Ammonia alum, 24 parts, 3%c $0.78
Bicarbonate of soda, 29 parts, i^c 44
Starch, 47 parts, 2 c 94
Material only $2.16
Manufacturing .25
Waste, 2 per cent 04
Net cost $2.45
Fifteen per cent, to cover supervision and
general expense 37
Complete cost $2.82
SUGGESTIVE FORMULA 49
It is of great importance that the matter of cost be
carefully studied. If a manufacturer estimates his cost
too high, it may stand in the way of his getting desirable
business, while on the other hand, if he estimates too low,
he may be doing business at a loss, and never discover it
until he gets his annual balance sheet ; it is very difficult
to lay down rules that will meet all conditions. It is
sometimes important to consider two different costs, one
of which may be called the "net cost" and only
covers the material and actual work; the other may be
called the "complete cost" and covers all incidentals apply-
ing to the same. The reason for this would be that it
will sometimes pay to take on additional business which
comes in large amounts on a basis of the net cost, while
if all the business of the house were computed on that
basis it would evidently lead to error and perhaps bank-
ruptcy.
The manufacturer must also consider that the real
volume of baking powder business is necessarily small
and that he is entitled to a much larger profit than on
most other goods that he makes or sells ; in fact he must
have a large percentage of profit if this part of his busi-
is really remunerative.
In case a .baking powder of greater leavening strength
is desired, Formulae Nos. I, 2, 6 and 7 can be changed
by reducing the amount of starch as low as 20 per cent.,
although this would not seem to be desirable in most
cases, and any formula can be reduced in cost by increas-
ing the proportion of starch.
Good self-raising flour can be made by adding any
baking powder made according to our formulae to the
50 BAKING POWDER
flour in the proportions of five or six pounds of baking
powder to one hundred pounds of flour and one
and one-half pounds of fine salt. We strongly recom-
mend, however, that no acid ingredient except phosphate
be used because it keeps perfectly in self-raising flour,
and finely ground phosphates especially adapted to that
purpose can be readily had. Our self-raising flour
formulae are made up on this basis.
Our suggestive formulae are as follows :
NO. I. ALUM BAKING POWDER.
Ammonia Alum 24
Bicarbonate Soda 29
Starch 47
100
Theoretical gas 17^4 per cent., estimating the ammonia
gas on the volumetric basis of carbon dioxide.
NO. 2. ALUM BAKING POWDER.
Sodium Alum 28
Bicarbonate Soda 29
Starch 43
100
Theoretical Gas 15.4 per cent.
NO. 3. PHOSPHATE BAKING POWDER.
Granular Phosphate 56
Granular Bicarbonate Soda 2534
Starch Super-dried 1!
'2
100
Theoretical Gas, i&A Per cent-
SUGGESTIVE FORMULA 5 1
NO. 4. — CREAM OF TARTAR BAKING POWDER.
Cream of Tartar 61
Bicarbonate of Soda 28
Starch 11
100
Theoretical gas, 14^ per cent.
The cream of tartar and soda should be in the granular
form and the starch super-dried, otherwise use more
starch. This also applies to formula No. 5.
NO. 5. CREAM OF TARTAR AND TARTARIC ACID BAKING
POWDER.
Cream of Tartar 50
Tartaric Acid 3
Bicarbonate of Soda 2(^/2
Starch 20^/2
100
Theoretical Gas, 13% per cent.
NO. 6. PHOSPHATE AND ALUM BAKING POWDER.
Sodium Alum 22
Phosphate 11
Bicarbonate of Soda 27
Starch 40
100
Theoretical Gas, 14J4 per cent.
NO. 7. — PHOSPHATE, ALUM AND TARTRATE BAKING
POWDER.
Sodium Alum 17
Phosphate 20
52 BAKING POWDER
Tartaric Acid 2
Bicarbonate of Soda 28
Carbonate of Magnesia 2
Starch 31
100
Theoretical Gas, 14J4 per cent.
NO. 8. — SELF-RAISING BUCKWHEAT FLOUR.
Phosphate 7
Bicarbonate of Soda 3^4
Fine Salt 3
Buckwheat Flour 130
Low-grade Wheat Flour 56^4
200
NO. 9. SELF-RAISING PANCAKE FLOUR.
Phosphate, Soda and Salt, same as above. . 13J4
Kiln-dried White Corn Flour 100
Medium-grade Wheat Flour 86^4
200
NO. IO. — SELF-RAISING BISCUIT FLOUR.
Phosphate, Soda and Salt, same as above. . . . 13%
First Quality Winter Wheat Flour 186%
200
Neither of the above formulae for self-raising flour
comes within the law requiring United States revenue
stamps, because the buckwheat and pancake flours do
not contain as much as 50 per cent, of wheat flour and
the biscuit flour is not mixed with any other kind of flour.
SUGGESTIVE FORMULA 53
ADDITIONAL FORMULA
CHAPTER VIII
MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT
THE equipment of the baking powder factory may be
varied according to the quantity to be manufactured,
but the essential features are a good mixer and appliance
for sifting. The convenient arrangement of these, to-
gether with bins for finished baking powder as well as
for the material to be manufactured, is of importance.
It is also an excellent idea to pass the material through
a pair of rolls or some other device to crush out the
lumps.
In regard to the mixer, our experience extends to
three different kinds or classes. The first is that repre-
sented in cut No. i and may be a home-made affair and
still be capable of producing the best results; the most
difficult features are the bearings and the opening. The
first of these can probably be best solved by your ma-
chinist but as there are churns and other devices con-
structed on this principle, it would perhaps be practi-
cable to get the bearings from a factory where something
of this character is made. The opening must be directly
MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT
55
in the corner in order to empty out completely; the lid
should be removable, so that it will not be in the way
when dumping out the contents ; it should also be made to
fit perfectly tight. We would suggest, therefore, that it
be made similar to cut No. 2 : of two thicknesses of lum-
ber, one piece fitting in the opening and the other lapping
over it on all sides; the inside surface or edge of the
outer and larger piece can be covered with felt, or if
No. 2
none is at hand, two or three thicknesses of heavy wool
cloth will serve the purpose. The lid may be fastened
on securely by a bar across it, held in place by irons in
the form of staples on either side. One or more wedges
may be driven between the bar and lid until it is perfectly
tight. In the interior of this mixer there should be a set
of sticks running directly across from the dots A on the
cut to the opposite side, and another row intersecting
56
BAKING POWDER
these, running directly across from the dots B. These
sticks should be about an inch square and will keep the
material from massing together in any way, and insure a
perfect blending. It may be emptied into a barrel or bin
by turning it down until the lid is at the lowest point,
which must, of course, be directly over the barrel or bin
and close to it ; the lid can then be slowly removed and the
contents easily emptied without spilling.
A box thirty inches each way will mix two hundred
pounds at a time. The advantages of this machine are
low cost and perfect work; the objections to it are that it
takes rather more room than the other kinds, both on the
floor and in the perpendicular. It is not so convenient to
handle and there is danger of waste.
MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT 57
Another mixing machine which we have used for some
time is represented in cut No. 3. This is an extremely
convenient machine and may be combined with a sifter as
shown in the cut. The material is stirred up by a sort of
steel worm, shown through a break in the side, running
the entire length and in close contact with the sides and
bottom of the machine ; the operation is such as to carry
the contents back and forth from end to end, mixing it
continually. Its special advantages are small space and
quick work, and it can be easily operated. Its objection-
able features are that there are corners inside where ma-
terial in small quantities may lodge and not be properly
mixed; then it is liable to get out of order and may be
doing imperfect work for some time before it is dis-
covered and repaired.
The other style of mixer is the one shown in cut No. 4.
In this machine the entire cylinder revolves so that the
mixing is practically perfect. There is a sort of flange
running from end to end diagonally across inside the
No. 4
58
BAKING POWDER
cylinder and back again in the opposite direction, thus
carrying the material back and forth continually through
the entire length. It should be filled through the hopper
shown at the further end, and is emptied by opening the
head of the cylinder which is held tightly in place by the
hand wheels shown in the cut. It has the advantage of
doing perfect work, and doing it very quickly, and sel-
dom, if ever, gets out of order. It is not quite as con-
venient to operate as the one last described.
4
i
D-o
No. 5
Regarding the sifter, a pattern in very common use is
constructed with a revolving brush running against a
wire screen at the bottom, by which the material is
broken up and forced through the screen. This is no
doubt the most convenient form that could be devised;
we do not approve of it, however, because the tendency
is to force through small granules that ought to be broken
up, and unless examined frequently and with great care,
the sieve becomes broken or perforated with nails or
sticks, so that there is continual danger of getting into
the powder granules of sufficient size to be a serious detri-
ment.
We advise using a shaking sieve, shown in cut No. £
MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT 59
operated by an eccentric wheel at one end, running with
considerable speed; another plan would be to operate it
from a ratchet or cam wheel at the end, so placed that a
projecting piece of iron extending out from the sieve
will press against it by the natural spring of the hangers.
The only objection to this plan is the noise. This sieve
should be suspended by thin, flexible hardwood or steel
hangers, although it may be run on casters or rollers; if
, the sides, and ends are three or four inches high a quantity
of material can be put in it and left to gradually sift out ;
what remains unsifted can be broken up by the operator
and put back on the sieve. If a fine sieve is used the
result will be perfect. Although it will take more time
to do the work than with the sifter first described, it is
not very liable to get out of order and the sieve will not
require renewal very often.
One serious difficulty about handling baking powder is
due to the fact that in process of manufacture it runs
almost like water, and will leak out of a hole not much
larger than a pin in a continuous stream. Then, if left
standing a few hours, it packs down so that it is difficult
to start it running at all. This we have guarded against
in a plan shown in cut No. 6, which is designed to illus-
trate a convenient arrangement for a baking powder fac-
tory of moderate size. By this arrangement two men
could easily turn out three to five thousand pounds per
day. It will require two floors on which to do the work,
and the lower room must be high between joists, or if
three floors can be used it will be more convenient.
The materials are supposed to be in barrels or bins on
the top floor shown on the left side of the sketch. Each
6o
BAKING POWDER
No. 6
MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT 6l
kind of goods should be weighed in a separate galvanized
iron can kept especially for that purpose, and this can
should be balanced by a weight made for the purpose;
this weight may be made of tin similar in form to the or-
dinary weight, with a small hole in the top which may be
closed by a cover fastened on like the revolving top to a
dredge spice can. Through this you can put in or take
out shot until you have the correct amount. To determine
this accurately first weigh the empty can and then put in
the material until you have the correct amount of the de-
sired ingredient, then set your scales at o, put on the tin
weight and fill this with shot until it counter-balances the
can and contents. The can for each kind of material
should be painted a separate color, and the weight to
be used with the can should be the same color.
No. 7 No. 8
After weighing the ingredients in separate cans the
weight should be verified by weighing the entire quantity
together. This may be done by putting all the cans on a
large platform scale — which we will call an "assembling
scale" — or by pouring into the hopper A, which can be
built on an ordinary platform scale — and taking the net
weight. This hopper has a valve at the bottom through
which its contents can be dropped into hopper B, below.
This valve is closed by an iron rod as shown in the cut.
To close this valve perfectly tight have a hole near the
top of the rod as shown in Fig. 7, and on the edge of the
62 BAKING POWDER
hopper attach a flat piece of iron represented by Fig. 8.
This iron is bent at right angles, and has a long slot
through which the rod projects ; when it is drawn up a
pin is thrust through the hole referred to, in the rod, and
if it is not then perfectly tight the rod may be slid along in
this slot until it is tight ; and if necessary to keep it from
sliding back put a hole through the side of the hopper
next to the rod and put a wooden pin through it. The top
of this hopper should be covered with a reasonably heavy
and coarse screen of about two-inch mesh, so that no
lumps shall be allowed to go into it that are big enough to
clog up the outlet. The scale shown in the cut is on a
platform about two feet below the floor, so as to enable
the attendant to empty the ingredients into it without lift-
ing them. The hopper A is connected with B by a canvas
bag which must be nailed on carefully at both ends, so as
to allow no dust to escape, but at the same time it must
have sufficient slack so that it will not interfere with the
operation of the scale. The hopper B is entirely enclosed,
and near the bottom there should be a small window, say
5x6, on either side, so that you can, at any time, see
whether it is full or empty. The sides should be as steep
as they can conveniently be made and there should be
nothing inside on which the baking powder can lodge, so
that with a slight jarring it will empty out completely.
At the bottom of this hopper there should be a pair of
wooden rolls, one of which is operated by a belt, the
other running by the action of the first. The rolls can
be adjusted by two screws, one at either end of one of the
rolls. The purpose of the rolls, it will be readily seen, is
to feed the material regularly to the sifter and also to
crush any lumps. The hopper B should be nearly as wide
MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT 63
at the bottom as the rolls are long, and inside of this hop-
per there should be what we can perhaps best describe
as an inside hopper to narrow down the outlet to two or
three inches square, because this will allow as much ma-
terial to pass as the rolls can take care of. The sieve C
should correspond to cut No. 5. It may be entirely over
the lower hopper D and sift directly into it or, as repre-
sented in the cut, it may have an inclined bottom of tin
which, on account of the shaking motion, will carry the
material down a very slight incline; this tin will need
cleaning occasionally and should be so made that it can be
opened or taken out for that purpose, or if the sieve
directly over it is made on a tightly fitting removable
frame it will serve the same purpose. The hopper D
should be closed by a slide at the bottom, to be worked by
a lever from below, or from one side. The baking powder
mixer is represented at E, but either kind which we
have already described may be employed. If the one
represented in cut No. 1 is used it would be best to attach
a bag to the bottom of the hopper D for the purpose of
conveying the material into the machine. This bag, of
course, has the bottom cut through, and when not in use
the bottom end may be hung up on the side of the hopper.
Either one, two or all of these hoppers may be dispensed
with, but they have been found to expedite work very
much — and where there are two or more hands at work
one does not delay the other, nor is it necessary to wait
for any part of the machinery to do its work. It is quite
important, however, to see every time these hoppers are
emptied that the entire contents has passed out, because
a pound or two of any kind of material that may be left
over and thus go into another mixing would upset the
formulae of both.
64 BAKING POWDER
A convenient place for a countershaft would be at F,
from which a quarter twist belt would run the mixer,
and belts to the rolls and shaker would be pretty well out
of the way.
A convenient but rather crude way to dispose of the
baking powder after it is made, is to run it into barrels,
which should always, be kept tightly covered. If you can
utilize another story below, you could have several bins
fitted with spouts into which the baking powder would
run directly from the machine, or it may be carried by ele-
vators or conveyors to any other part of the building.
If another floor is available above those we have repre-
sented in our plan, an arrangement of bins for the ma-
terial would be of great advantage. This would enable
a workman to break open the barrels of material on the
top floor, dump them through an opening in the floor into
a bin below, each opening being protected by a coarse,
heavy wire screen to break up the lumps. Then the ma-
terial can be drawn from these bins into the receptacles in
which it is to be weighed. If the work is to be done on
one floor we would suggest that a platform be built above
the mixing machine on which the materials can be
weighed out and verified, or they can be carried up to this
platform after this has been done. The hopper B can be
made smaller and the materials fed into it with a scoop.
Bins for storing baking powder can be arranged to draw
the baking powder from the bottom by means of a slide
operated by a lever, but it is also necessary to attach to the
outlet a bottomless bag to keep the baking powder under
control. Bins for storing material should have a slide at
the bottom and on one side, and this slide may have an
attachment that will coax down the material where it is
inclined to clog.
CHAPTER IX
THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE
ABSOLUTE uniformity is of the utmost importance in
baking powder, as well as in most articles of mer-
chandise, and to secure this is worth your best effort
The wrecks that have been caused in this line of busi-
ness by a few poorly made mixings of baking powder
are very numerous, and all this can be avoided by proper
precautions. There are a number of little details re-
garding the process of manufacture that go far toward
making it a success. The most extensively sold baking
powder in the world has, no doubt, obtained that pre-
eminence largely because of the great care given to the
making of it, by which a superior result is obtained, and,
of course, perfect uniformity.
Some of these details may be neglected and fair success
may be attained, but if there is a general disregard of
them, or, in other words, if baking powder is carelessly
and imperfectly made it will not bring first-class results.
In an alum or alum phosphate powder less care is neces-
sary than in a straight phosphate or cream of tartar
powder, because it is not so easily injured by moisture.
66 BAKING POWDER
Remember, however, that dampness is the enemy of
baking powder, and we would suggest that no manufac-
turing be done on rainy or damp days ; also to keep ma-
terials in a dry place and carefully covered. In leaving
parts of barrels of materials it is well to level them off
and press down over the surface a heavy sheet of paper,
besides having a cover on the top of the barrel. These
precautions will go far toward protecting your materials
from the action of the atmosphere. The ingredients
should be put together in a certain order, and, as a rule,
we would recommend that the starch and soda be put in
the mixer first when it is running; then if magnesia is
used let that be added, and after this the acid ingredients.
If tartaric acid is used we would prefer that which is
freshly made and that has not become caked; then add
to it, as soon as received, say three times as much starch
and mix thoroughly in your baking powder mixer. By
this means you can keep your tartaric acid in good con-
dition until used, using four times as much as the quan-
tity of tartaric acid called for in your formula and de-
ducting the proper amount of starch from the amount
called for by the formula. Another useful purpose may
be served by a manufacturer who wishes to keep his entire
formula from employees who, perhaps, are entrusted
with most of the work. This can be done by mixing up
this acid and starch yourself and letting it be known by
some certain letter or name, say "Super Extra" ; then the
formula that your employee knows calls for so many
pounds of "Super Extra," and as he does not know what
that is he can never give away your formula. It would
also be well to adopt a similar plan with C. T. S. (alum)
THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE 67
if necessary to keep it on hand any length of time. You
cannot, however, add any more starch than is called for
by your formula. For instance, if you were using for-
mula No. 7, you could mix any quantity of alum you
happen to have with starch in the proportion of 15
parts alum to 33 of starch. Then, when you want to
make your baking powder, use 48 pounds of this mixture,
which will give you the correct quantity of starch and
soda. If, however, you make more than one kind of
baking powder using the same kind of alum, you can
mix your alum and starch in equal quantities. You can
then easily rearrange your formula to adjust it to this
combination.
The difficulty to be overcome in the manufacture of
cream of tartar baking powder is mainly the elimination
of moisture. If the baking powder is made sufficiently
dry it will keep, and if the ingredients are pure and in
proper proportions, it will be a first-class baking powder
and will meet all demands. In order to manufacture the
baking powder of sufficient dryness it is necessary to
have some kind of a drying outfit. What we would rec-
ommend as useful on a small scale would be steam pipes
running back and forth under a sort of table. This table
may have a perforated top or a slat top. The latter
would probably be preferable, and should be so arranged
that the hot air may have free access about the pipes
and up through the table, the pipes being also partially en-
closed beneath the table.
The baking powder material should then be put in open
pans one or two inches deep. These pans can be cheaply
made from sheets of tin for the bottom, nailed on to a
68 BAKING POWDER
wooden frame constituting the four sides, which should
be about two inches high.
The time necessary for the material to be perfectly
dried will vary according to the degree of heat, but under
ordinary conditions, we should say four to five hours
would probably be sufficient. These pans can be placed
one above another with a space between, and they should
be boxed in with openings at the top sufficient to per-
mit of the proper circulation of air. As a means of
ascertaining whether the material is sufficiently dry,
would suggest that the starch should lose about 8 per
cent, in weight; that is to say, ioo pounds of starch
after being properly dried would weigh only 92 pounds.
The other ingredients lose a comparatively small quantity,
but would probably take nearly as long in drying. A
suction fan exhausting the air from the top of this dryer
will hasten the process.
The baking powder should be made promptly after the
material has been dried. If it is allowed to stand for a
few hours it will again gather moisture and will be unfit
for use so far as obtaining the best result is concerned.
A good result may, perhaps, be obtained by making the
baking powder first and drying it thoroughly afterwards ;
another method which is probably the best in some re-
spects is to mix your baking powder and let it stand in
barrels for a month, or perhaps more, when it will be
found to have caked considerably. It should then be put
into a drying-room or on a table such as we have de-
scribed, and thoroughly dried, after which it must be
crushed to a fine powder. Baking powder made in this
way loses very little gas by the caking process, and will
not become lumpy. If tartaric acid is used, it should
not be added until the process is completed.
THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE 69
For phosphate baking powder we would recommend
the first method suggested for cream of tartar powder,
because about the same precautions are necessary to se-
cure the best keeping quality.
After making cream of tartar or phosphate baking
powder by either process given above, it should be put
into cans and closed at once, and all baking powder
should be allowed as little exposure to the air as possible.
The selection of granular soda for cream of tartar and
phosphate baking powder is imperative, and we also ad-
vise the use of finely granulated cream of tartar, and in
the phosphate powder granular phosphate, which we have
heretofore shown to be important, while in the powders
which contain alum the powdered phosphate will serve as
well. We would not recommend the drying of soda be-
cause, unless this is done with great care, you will drive
off part of the gas ; but you should see that your soda is
in proper condition when it comes from the manufacturer.
If you would be sure your baking powder is correct,
adopt some kind of a check against errors that will be
an absolute protection. We devised a system several
years ago that we consider perfect and do not think we
have ever sent out an imperfect can of baking powder
since that time; and whoever does the actual work of
mixing, if he makes an error it will be discovered in the
office, and can be rectified.
To follow this system you will weigh the gross amount
of all your ingredients before you begin the day's work,
and also whatever amounts you may have when the day's
work is over. Whenever you open a new barrel of any
kind of material you should also carefully weigh this,
7°
BAKING POWDER
and weigh whatever may remain of the old barrel. Your
tally sheet can then be made to show if any error has
been made, because the amount tallied out of the barrel
will not agree with the amount actually used. Whoever
weighs up the material notes down these items just as
they occur, using gross weights, also noting the weight
of each mixing of baking powder and designating it by
a number.
We give below memoranda supposed to be made to
represent the work done on two different days, using our
formula No. 6 on January 2 and No. 2 on January 5 and
doubling the quantity for each mixing.
January 2.
Starch, 178.
Soda, 386.
C. T. S., 216.
Phosphate, 198.
No. 1. 224 — 23^.
No. 2. 222 — 23.
Bal. of starch, bbl., 22 gr.
New bbl. of starch, 276 net
No. 3. 223^—23^.
No. 4. 2.2.2, — 22y2.
Bal. of C. T. S., 42 gr.
New bbl. C. T. S., 355 net.
No. 5. 222)/2 23.
Starch, 63.
Soda, 107.
C T. S., 353.
Phosphate, 88.
January 5.
Starch, 63.
Soda, 1063^ (showing loss
in weight).
C. T. S., 354 (showing
gain in weight.
New bbl. starch, 270 net.
No. 6. 225 — 23^.
Bal. of Soda, 48^ gr.
New bbl. of soda, 402 net.
No. 7. 223 — 23.
No. 8. 222 — 23.
Balance of starch, 75.
New bbl. starch, 280.
No. 9. 222y2 — 22.
Starch, 269.
Soda, 276.
C. T. S., 130.
Phosphate, 88.
THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE 7 1
The above memoranda should be transferred to the
tally sheet shown on the next page, at the close of each
day, entering all gross weight except for new packages
opened, which are entered net, the tare being estimated;
the reason for this is that it avoids the necessity of esti-
mating and figuring out tares at both ends of the day's
work. The tally sheet should be made up in the office
after the day's work is over, or at intervals during the
day, as the memoranda is turned in by the mixer. It will
only be necessary to use the space for "Brand or Formula
No." when you use your tally sheet for more than one
grade.
The balances on hand at the completion of the day's
work we have carried forward for the next day's run.
They should be compared with actual weights taken, as
the figures for the beginning of that day, and these will
often vary a pound or so owing to shrinkage by waste
or to increase in weight by gathering moisture. We
have shown some slight differences of this sort between
our two tally sheets on previous page. If our work is
correct, the total of the first and second columns will
equal the total of the third column, and the total of the
fourth and fifth columns will also equal the total of the
third column, the total of the fifth and eighth columns
also equals the total of the sixth and seventh columns, as
shown on the following page.
72
BAKING POWDER
TALLY SHEET FOR PREVENTION OF ERRORS IN MIXING
BAKING POWDER.
,
>» •
ti
23
si
51
&
■si
I
bb
c
"5
c
"3>
B
PQ
B
3
0
1
i
.0 >.
P w
- V
I*
,0
H
II
1
1
I
mc
£
«
fc
H
5
«<
CO
O
Starch
6
2
5
4
178
63
276
27O
28o
454
613
63
269
391
344
390
344
I
♦269
Soda
6
5
386
386
107
279
2801
I
2
4
107
402
509
276
233
232 1
♦276
C. T. S
6
5
216
355
57i
353
218
220
2
2
4
353
*i3o
353
130
223
224
I
Phosphate. . .
6
5
198
*88
198
88
no
no
9
1501
1583
3084
1286
1798
1800
2
4
1501
1286
1798
l800
1583
1798
4
2
Proof. .
•2o8/t
3084
1802
l802
*Not included in totals.
THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE 73
A full-sized sheet can be used, and will serve to show
the work of several days ; it can then be proved as already
indicated.
When you discover an error has been made, you will
generally be able to figure out just what it was, and by
adding an equivalent amount of other ingredients, you
will be able to correct it.
You will often discover such an error in weighing up
your completed mixings of baking powder, which should
weigh within a pound of the amount called for by your
formula. If you do not discover the error until you
have completed your day's run, you may be able to locate
the mixings in which it occurred by figuring each ingre-
dient separately up to each new package broken into
or by the use of test tubes, as shown below, making a test
of each mixing separately.
We would recommend that you provide some test tubes,
which are very inexpensive, and also supply yourself
with some litmus paper. You can then take a sample of
your baking powder after it has been finished, put a
small amount, say the fourth of a teaspoonful, into a
test tube, fill it half full of water, and heat it gently over
a lamp or gas burner until it boils, and test it with a lit-
mus paper, when it should show a sort of purple color.
If it is red, the presumption would be that there is too
much acid ; and if it is blue, too much alkali ; but, having
a standard sample to test by, and using it at the same
time, you will thus be able to judge with some degree of
accuracy as to whether your baking powder is exactly
right in this particular. Some find it more convenient to
add a little litmus solution to the liquid in the test tube
74 BAKING POWDER
and note the color, and others use turmeric in the same
way. Phenolphthalein is more delicate as a test than
either of the above; none of these tests, however, can
be absolutely relied upon, but where an error has been
made you can compare several different samples in this
way, and after a little experience the one sample that is
not correctly made will be detected.
We would also suggest that frequent tests be made by
baking biscuits, which is often the most convenient
method, and it is certainly one of the best, and
besides noting the leavening power, observe also
the color of the biscuit. If it is yellow, make a
reduction of, say, one-half pound soda for each ioo
pounds of baking powder. My suggested formulae
are gotten up with the purpose of using the maximum
quantity of soda in order to secure the highest efficiency
of baking powder, and if any of the materials are not of
standard strength, it is possible that there would be an
excess of soda sufficient to affect the color.
CHAPTER X
ADVERTISING SUGGESTIONS
ALMOST everything that brings the name of a firm or
a brand of goods to the attention of any number of
people has a certain value as an advertising medium. An
important question arises as to which medium will bring
it to the attention of the largest number of people and of
the class of people you most desire to reach, for the least
cost, and in the most impressive way. The kind of an
impression that is to be created will depend principally
on the advertising matter itself.
The advertising of food products has a certain field
and certain important points to be developed, answering
such questions as naturally suggest themselves to the
buyer, regarding the matter of healthfulness, convenience
for use, ease of preparation, strength, purity and other
distinctive features. The advertising of baking powder
also has its peculiar features. The amount that any one
family consumes in a year is comparatively small, and
the advertising, therefore, must reach a large number of
people ; for the same reason it cannot be too expensive.
In preparing matter for advertising it is important that
76 BAKING POWDER
it be striking in order to command attention, and we
would be disposed to say that it must tell the truth were
it not that one of the most successful baking powder ad-
vertisers does not seem to have been very scrupulous
along this line. We cannot really say, however, that even
this advertiser is guilty of actually false statements. Any
kind of a picture or cut is an attractive feature and brings
the eye of the reader over columns of type to your &d. It
is not always easy to find a subject for such a cut, except
that it be a cut of your can ; this may be shown as held
in the hand, or against a background of lines and shades
that any sketch artist can devise ; a can that is shown in
a slanting position will probably be observed by more
people than if perpendicular. Reference to any desirable
qualities ought not to be omitted from the reading matter.
The question of price as a rule ought to be left to be an-
swered by the grocer. One reason for this is that it often
leads to inquiry resulting in sales that would not otherwise
be made; another reason is that consumers may form
judgment against the article in advance that would have
been different had they talked with the merchant about it
before they knew the price.
A list of names of dealers who sell the article in any
certain town or city is often a good thing; it shows the
public that the article is popular with a good class of
dealers, it encourages the dealer to keep it before his
customers, and tells the consumer where he can find it.
Letters of commendation from reputable consumers,
physicians, chemists, etc., are of great value, but the space
which can be profitably employed for baking powder in
the average newspaper will not admit of using them very
liberally. What we have said thus far has reference
ADVERTISING SUGGESTIONS 77
principally to newspaper advertising, but the value of
such advertising and the kind of medium depends very
largely on what has already been accomplished in the
trade, and on what work is being done. If your goods are
already in the hands of about every dealer in any certain
city or community, or if you are doing work that will place
them in their hands very soon, a paper or magazine that
covers this field will certainly pay; if, however, not one
merchant in ten has your goods or is likely to have them,
such a medium would probably not be remunerative.
No one can afford to employ a magazine having a
world-wide circulation unless the article advertised is
almost as widely distributed ; in other words, advertising
to be effective must reach people who find your baking
powder on the shelves of their own grocer.
When all methods of advertising that have ever been
devised are carefully compared, if the results obtained
could be known and tabulated, we think newspaper adver-
tising would be in advance of all others; still there are
many other things that work out great results as a tem-
porary expedient.
Bill-board advertising may have some merit, but we
hardly think it commensurate with results unless it be
permanently placed in a favorable location. Printed mat-
ter of the right sort should always be placed in mail going
to dealers and consumers; what we term the right sort
may be matter similar to that used in newspapers, but may
be more extended. A little humor introduced in this way,
provided it is not undignified nor hackneyed, may be of
substantial value. By way of interesting dealers we have
found it works well to have a quantity of advertising mat-
ter arranged in a series to be sent out at intervals of four
78 BAKING POWDER
or five days for a period of perhaps a month ; then when
this is followed up by a salesman he finds that the dealer
is already convinced that you are offering a good article
that people will buy. All baking powder manufacturers
have found, however, that the real problem is not to get
goods into the hands of merchants, but to create a demand
from the consumer. To a limited extent we have secured
such a demand by taking from a merchant a list of some
of his desirable customers, which need not be a very large
list ; to each of these send a circular letter in imitation of
typewriting, asking them to call and present a card to
their grocer which you also enclose, and receive free a
regular can (4, 6 or 8 oz.) of the baking powder, enclos-
ing also such recommendations and other advertising
matter as you have. The few who try it in this way will
generally speak of it to others; it will begin to move off
the merchants' shelves, and the result will be very satisfac-
tory.
We have arranged entertainments for ladies' clubs,
library associations, etc., that have brought good results.
We made the principal feature of the entertainment a
cake baking contest, in which we offered several premiums
for cakes baked with the use of our brand. We arranged
badges for committees and advertised the entertainment
through the papers in a way that brought our brand con-
spicuously before the public. The effect of a large array of
beautiful cakes which had never been equaled in the eyes
of most of those present all made with one particular
brand of baking powder is an object lesson that has a very
striking effect.
The publishing of recipes for cakes, doughnuts or bis-
cuits that have been made with your baking powder and
ADVERTISING SUGGESTIONS 79
have won prizes or been made otherwise conspicuous, as
well as the printing of a full book of recipes, would be a
valuable feature if the sale of the baking powder was
large enough to justify it.
The wholesale grocer or the manufacturer of a large
line of grocers' specialties must look upon the advertising
proposition from a different viewpoint than the man who
has only one article. The wholesale grocer, for instance,
if he advertises his baking powder extensively, cannot fail
to help his general business in a very important degree.
Money spent in this direction brings prominently before
the public and the trade the fact that you have a manu-
facturing department as well as the importance of your
business in general. It is hardly practicable, however, for
a baking powder made by a wholesale grocery house to
ever command a large business outside of the people who
regularly patronize the house, so this limitation must be
considered in the plans for advertising. We also feel
impelled to say that any advertising in order to be profita-
ble must be backed up by vigorous, persistent and regular
work among the trade. A wholesale grocery house can
hardly expect this work from its regular salesmen, but if
it is to command a large trade on any special article it is
almost necessary that a special salesman be kept for this
article or for a certain department, of which baking
powder may be an important part.
CHAPTER XI
PRACTICAL HINTS
IN concluding our articles on baking powder we desire to
emphasize a few points that are, in our estimation, of
great importance and ought to be continually borne in
mind. We assume, in the first place, that you are making
or desire to make a good, reliable baking powder and that
you are turning it out at a good profit, and that uni-
formity is absolutely essential to secure and hold any
desirable business. If you are not turning out a uni-
form article, hundreds of dollars may be spent to secure
trade that may be lost almost in a day.
Buy good materials from reliable manufacturers.
You can't afford to experiment along this line; a slight
variation in quality may cost you valuable customers, and
this variation of quality may come from a change in your
source of supply or from an ingredient of varying quality.
Perfect uniformity, even if you make a low-grade article,
is of great value.
An error in mixing your powder may be a fatal error.
We know of instances where such errors have destroyed
a fine trade that it had cost a great deal to secure.
PRACTICAL HINTS 8 1
A handsome package is probably worth all it will cost,
and too much care cannot be given to it. "A good name"
for a baking powder will almost justify the scriptural
quotation of being preferable to "great riches/ ' and in
selecting a name we would suggest that several points be
borne in mind, such as its significance ; does it sound well ?
will it be easily remembered? The name ought not to
be too long, and sometimes one with local significance has
some merit.
When you know you have a good thing, stick to
it; don't make changes unless you are certain they
are for the best. Let the other fellow do the experi-
menting, or at least don't experiment on your customers.
Make frequent tests of your output by methods already
noted and thus insure yourself, as far as practicable, re-
garding the uniformity of your goods.
Be careful to keep your materials dry and well covered.
They will gather moisture by exposure to the air, particu-
larly on a damp day.
INDEX
PAGB
Advertising Suggestions 75
Alum, 17, 20, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 35, 37, 40, 43,44,45,47,50,51,65, 66
Alum Baking Powder 28, 29, 34, 35, 37, 43, 44, 45, 50, 65
Aluminum 25
Aluminum Hydrate 28, 29, 33
Aluminum Sulphate 28, 32
Ammonia Sesqui -carbonate 14-29
Ammonium 25
Ammonium Sulphate 26
Approximate Formulae 39
Atlantic & Pacific Baking Powder 44
Atomic Weight , 24, 25
Argols 17
Baking Tests 74
Bins t 54, 64
Bon Bon Baking Powder 43
Brand 81
Buttermilk 8, 10
Calcium 25
Calcium Hydrogen Phosphate (Calcic Phosphate) 29, 33
Calumet Baking Powder 45
Carbon 23, 24
Carbonic Acid Gas 8, 23, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32
84 INDEX
PAGE
Chemical Action 12, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 31
Cleveland's Baking Powder 42
Combination Baking Powder 41, 44, 45, 47, 51, 52
Combining Weight 24, 25
Cost Computation 48, 49
Countershaft 64
Cream of Tartar 8, 17, 28, 32, 39, 40, 47, 51, 65, 69
Cream of Tartar Baking Powder,
18, 28, 34, 37, 40, 41, 42, 47, 51, 65, 67, 69
Crown Baking Powder 43
Cuts 55, 56, 57, 58, 60, 61
Dampness 66
Davis' R. B. Baking Powder 44
De Land's Baking Powder 42
Di Sodic Phosphate 29, 33
Dr. Price's Baking Powder 41
Drying Outfit 67
Egg Albumen 14
Equipment 54
Experimenting 81
Failures 65
Fermentation 8, 9
Flour 13, 14, 15
Glauber's Salt 28, 29, 34
Healthfulness 9, 10, 19, 22, 33, 37
Hoppers 60, 61, 62, 63
Hydrogen 24
I. C. Baking Powder 45
Impurities 26
Keeping Qualities 21
Kenton Baking Powder 44
INDEX 85
PAGE
Lactic Acid 8
Leavening — How Accomplished 8, 23, 25
Magnesia, Carbonate of 13, 28, 32
Magnesium 25
M Tartrate 28, 34
Medicinal Effect 10, 33, 34
Mineral in Food 10
Mixers........ 54, 55, 56, 57, 60, 63
Neutralizing Power 17, 19, 21
Nitrogen 24
One Spoon Baking Powder 43
Oxygen 24
Package Style 81
Patapsco Baking Powder 43, 44
Phosphate, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 32, 36, 37, 40, 43, 44, 47, 50, 51, 52,65
Phosphate (Granular) 46, 48, 50, 69
11 Baking Powder
2Q> 34, 37> 4o, 43> 44, 45> 47> 5<>> 5i> 52, 65, 68, 69
11 of Aluminum 27
of Soda 19, 32
Test 19
Phosphoric Acid 18
Phosphorus 25
Potassium 25
Practical Hints 80
Process of Manufacture 65
Residuum 10, 12, 21, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 39
M Quantity in Food 34
Rochelle Salts 28, 33, 34
Rolls 54, 60, 62
Royal Baking Powder 39, 41, 42
86 INDEX
PA OB
Rumford's Baking Powder 40, 43
Scales 61, 62
Sea Foam Baking Powder 42
Self-raising Flour 49, 52
Shilling's Best Baking Powder 42
Sifters 57, 68, 63
Soda (Bicarbonate) 13, 17, 28, 32, 48, 50, 51, 52
Soda (Granular) 48, 69
Sodium 25
11 Carbonate 27
" Tartrate 28, 33
Sour Milk 8, 10
Stamp Tax on Self-raising Flour 52
Starch 13, 14, 15, 26, 32, 40, 47, 50, 51, 52
Starch Tests 15, 16, 68
Stronger Baking Powder 49
Suggestive Formulae 46
Sulphur 25
System to Avoid Error 69
Tables 28, 29
Tally Sheet 69, 70, 71, 72, 73
Tartaric Acid 17, 18, 21, 28, 29, 32, 40, 51, 52, 66
Terra Alba 14, 16
Tests 15, 16, 73, 74
Test Tubes 73
Uniformity 65, 80
Water of Crystallization 27, 31,32
Yeast 8
THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE
STAMPED BELOW
AN INITIAL FINE OF 25 CENTS
WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN
THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY
WILL INCREASE TO 50 CENTS ON THE FOURTH
DAY AND TO $1.00 ON THE SEVENTH DAY
OVERDUE.
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