By William “Skip” Deegans
The recent concerns about food additives by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), particularly petroleum-based dyes, is reminiscent of a controversy in the United States around the turn of the 20th century. As shown in the illustrated advertisement from the 1909 Greenbrier Independent, the use of alum in bread was concerning.
White bread was developed in England during the Victorian period. Because it was more expensive than “brown bread,” it was associated with the upper glass. The whiter the better so bakers began adding alum, an aluminum-based compound, to flour as it made bread whiter and heavier – and more profitable. It can also be used to cover up the use of poor and discolored flour.
The problem, however, is that alum can cause constipation and chronic diarrhea. It can be fatal to children. Some research indicates it may have an adverse effect on the reproductive and nervous systems. In 1860, England imposed the Adulteration of Food & Drug Act to curb the use of harmful additives, including alum, although it would not be until 1935 when public health and food safety laws were enacted in England and alum was officially prohibited in bread.
Although not common, alum may still be used in bread in the United States.
Sources: BBC, The Guardian, The San Francisco Examiner, Kansas City Journal.
