Baking powder is a chemical yeast agent that is used to swell and soften food. The ingredients are alkali, sodium bicarbonate, and tartar cream. These ingredients are assembled in the right proportions and then packaged. This powder looks a lot like rice flour. There are two types of baking powder available in the market. (1) Single acting baking powder (2) Double acting baking powder. Let’s learn more about baking powder.
Single acting baking powder
This powder is moist. When something liquid is mixed with them, it produces gas, i.e. swells. Due to the presence of tartar and tartaric acid (C4H606) cream in the powder, the liquid quickly mixes with the powder to form gas.
Double acting baking powder
This powder is acidic. It contains two acidic ingredients, alum and tartar cream. Initially it releases a small amount of gas when it mixes with the liquid. This type of powder helps to keep the batter baked for a long time. For this reason, if you are thinking of making a cake, then use this powder. This powder is more available in the market.
History of baking powder
Chemist Eben Norton Horsford discovered the first modern baking powder in 1856. Horsford originally made monocalcium phosphate by boiling animal bones. So monocalcium phosphate acts as an acid which combines with baking soda to produce C02. In the 180’s, Horsford’s company was able to produce monocalcium phosphate at a much lower cost. Since then commercial production of this powder has started.
What is the difference between baking powder and baking soda?
Baking powder and baking soda both help to make the food bloated. Both of these elements produce carbon dioxide. So through this the food swells. I am simply explaining the difference between them: –
Baking powder contains baking soda and many other ingredients. Which I told you first. But the only ingredient in baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate. So no matter what you do, don’t try to replace baking soda with baking powder. Because it won’t work. You will not find the right quality of food. But there are many differences between the two dishes.
Flavor of baking powder
This powder is white in color and looks a lot like rice husk. So let me say beforehand that this powder is not used to enhance the taste of food. Rather it helps to keep the food puffy and soft. For this reason it is non-toxic and has a slightly bitter taste. So it should not be eaten. For this reason it is designed to be mixed with other ingredients.
Preservation of baking powder
This powder should be kept in a sealed container. So that air cannot enter it. Because if the air enters, its quality is likely to deteriorate. So if you want you can keep it freezing in a normal way. However, keep an eye on the expiration date and always look for the date at the bottom of the container.
However, if you want, you can easily check yourself to see if this powder is good. In a cup add 1/2 teaspoon powder and 1/2 cup hot water. If the mixture is intensely bubbling, this powder is still good. If there are no sharp bubbles, then understand that this powder has expired.
Harmful side of baking powder
- Although this powder has many benefits in our daily life, there are some cautionary aspects of it. Reading the following articles will make you more careful about its use.
- Applying it to your teeth in the long run can cause tooth enamel to erode. So it is better not to use it in the long run.
- If you take too much of this powder for any reason, it can cause more serious problems like vomiting and diarrhea. So keep this powder out of the reach of children.
- Excessive use of this powder in different types of food can cause acid in your stomach. So refrain from overuse.
- Patients with hypertension should refrain from excessive use of this powder.
What is the price of baking powder today 3 May 2024 market?
We buy baking powder from the market to make different kinds of food in our daily life. The price of this baking powder is-
| Friends Baking Powder 150 gm | 65 BDT |
| Foster Clark’s Baking Powder 110g Tin | 90 BDT |
| Forest Moon Baking Powder (Can) -100g Baking Powder | 60 BDT |
| Baking Powder 200g | 60 BDT |
Conclusion
Baking powder is commonly used to inflate any food. Because it does not increase the taste of any kind of food. So it is used more in making different types of cakes and in any kind of fried food. However, it also has many harmful aspects. That’s why we should take a good look at it.
