Analysis of Baking Powder for Aluminum YIKES !

Dennis is in the lab again analyzing products for Aluminum.  He recently analyzed for aluminum in baking powder.   Much to his surprise he found that Baking Power labeled 'Aluminum Free"  contains aluminum.  YIKES !!  He suspects that the powdered acid which is used is not pure and has traces of aluminum. So start making your own baking powder, it is really easy.

Recipe for making baking powder

2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon corn starch (helps it to not cake)

It is a ratio of 2 parts cream of tartar to 1 part baking soda

I could not find a baking powder in the store which uses cream of tartar as the acid.

Here is an excerpt from his book about baking powder and a table with the results of his testing.

 Baking powders contain sodium bicarbonate (a.k.a. baking soda), powdered acid, and corn starch for anti-caking.  The powdered acid can be an aluminum salt, calcium phosphate, or potassium bitartrate (a.k.a. cream of tarter).  Baking powders made with calcium phosphate are usually advertised as “aluminum free”.  This is an effort by the manufacturer to differentiate baking powders made with calcium phosphate from those made with an aluminum salt.  In reality there is a large amount of aluminum as an impurity in baking powders made with calcium phosphate and of coarse even a larger amount of aluminum in baking powders made with aluminum salts as shown in the following table: 

Aluminum in Baking Powders
Baking Powder	Powdered Acid	Aluminum mg/tsp
Homemade	Cream of tarter	Less than 0.004
Rumford Aluminum Free	Monocalcium Phosphate	0.79
Trader Joe’s Aluminum Free	Monocalcium Phosphate	Greater than 1.0
Whole Foods 365 Aluminum Free	Monocalcium Phosphate	Greater than 1.0
Davis	Sodium Aluminum Sulfate & Monocalcium Phosphate	48.6

From this table it is clear why some baked goods (i.e. bread, cake, pancakes, waffels) have high levels of aluminum (see Chapter 4).  In order to bake aluminum free it is recommended that you make your own homemade baking powder with cream of tarter as the powdered acid according