ACS NEWS
RUMFORD BAKING POWDER BECOMES A LANDMARK ACS, East Providence Historical Society salute baking powder manufacturer
W
HEN I TOLD MY COLLEAGUES
that Iwas heading to Rhode Island to write a story on baking powder, I was met with raised eyebrows and a few chuckles: "No Pulitzer in your future for this one, Linda," was the not-so-subtle message. But there's more to baking powder thanfluffybiscuits, and some simple acidtase chemistry is the key. Rumford Chemical Works, where baking powder was made, was designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark in a special ceremony on June 12 in East Providence.
it puffup, giving baked goods a nice texture. In the 1830s, bakers began adding sodium bicarbonate to sour milk to leaven their dough. The lactic acid in the sour milk reacted with the sodium bicarbonate to produce the carbon dioxide. Sour milk was later replaced with cream of tartar (potassium hydrogen tartrate, a by-product of wmemaking), and this combination was the first true baking powder. It offered bakers better control of the leavening process, allowing for more uniform results. There were a couple ofproblems with this formulation, however. The components of
baking powder with calcium acid phosphate. With his business partner George F. Wilson (1818-83), Horsford established the Rumford Chemical Works in East Providence for the manufacture of calcium acid phosphate, which in the early years was made from beef bones treated with sulfuric acid. Horsford took careful precautions to keep the powder dry by adding cornstarch to the mixture. As time went on, mined calcium acid phosphate minimized the need for bones. Horsford named his baking powder Rumford, after Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford (1753-1814), a Massachusetts-born British-sympathizer in the American Revolution who, in addition to serving the Elector of Bavaria and marrying Antoine Lavoisier's widow, left Harvard University an annuity of $1,000 to establish a Rumford professorship. Horsford had been the Rumford Professor at Harvard. In 1856, Horsford and Wilson bought a building in East Providence for packaging
CELEBRATION (left to right) Moore, Nalley, Kane, and Payne pose by the historic marker; building 31 was built in 1927 and held packaging operations and the Rumford boardroom.
Ceremonies were attended by Joseph Larisa Jr., the town's mayor. E. Ann Nalley, president ofACS, presented a commemorative bronze plaque to Nancy Moore, president ofthe East Providence Historical Society and sponsor of the designation ceremony, and Colin Kane of Peregrine, a real estate firm that is restoring the old Rumford Chemical Works complex. The ceremony was also attended by Tom Payne, a representativefromClabber Girl, Terra Haute, Ind., which now owns and manufactures Rumford baking powder. First, a little bit about baking powder. It is a leavening agent, which produces a similar effect to yeast. It is used to make batter and dough for quick breads rise. In the presence of moisture, baking powder, which contains an alkali (typically sodium bicarbonate) and an acid, react to create carbon dioxide, which accumulates in little bubbles in the baking mixture to make 74
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the baking powder had to be kept separate and shipping baking powder. In 1858, they before use to prevent a premature acid-base built the first factory building, which still reaction. In the U.S., cream of tartar also stands today. More than 300 acres were had to be imported from Europe, and the bought to develop a working farm to sustain the people who made the baking powder. supply and price fluctuated. The search was on for a more efficient By 1894, this village of Rumford was called and economical baking powder, and Eben the "kitchen capital of the world." In 1948, Hayden Chemical Co. of New N. Horsford (1818-93) found it. In a wellreceived lecture on Horsford given after the Jersey bought Rumford Chemical Works. plaque was presented, Paul R.Jones, emeritus In 1950, Hulman & Co., Terre Haute, Ind., professor of chemistry at the University of bought the baking powder division and New Hampshire and editor of the Bulletin the acid division from Hayden. By 1968 all baking powder manufacture had for the History ofChemistry, told some left East Providence, and the plant interesting and quirky stories closed. But the old chemical works about Horsford, a civil engiare getting a new life. The Rumneer turned chemist turned ford works were bought last year baking powder manufacturer by Peregrine group, which will extraordinaire. restore the old buildings and A German-educated Harvard make offices, stores, and apartchemist, Horsford's contribution ments.-LINDARABER was to replace cream of tartar in
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