Talk:Baking powder

Archive
I moved material from 2010-2013 into the existing archive. There wasn't enough material, IMHO, to justify creating a second archive. Lou Sander (talk) 13:28, 28 September 2014 (UTC)

Commercial baking powder
The article says that commercial baking powder is different from the domestic version, and it spells out the difference, but it doesn't explain why the difference exists. Neither does it provide a reference. Maybe someone can find a reference and tell us why there's a difference. Lou Sander (talk) 13:36, 28 September 2014 (UTC)

Monocalcium phosphate reaction
The article currently claims, that baking soda and monocalcium phosphate react according to:


 * 14 NaHCO3 +  5 Ca(H2PO4)2 + 18 H2O   →   14 CO2  +  Ca5(PO4)3OH  + 7 Na2HPO4  + 18 H2O

It also says, "The water in the above reaction acts only to solubilize the material so it can react. No net water is produced." But I can't get this to work out. On the left-hand side I count


 * 14 C atoms
 * 5 Ca atoms
 * 34 + 2×18 H atoms
 * 14 Na atoms
 * 82 + 18 O atoms
 * 10 P atoms

On the right-hand side I count


 * 14 C atoms
 * 5 Ca atoms
 * 8 + 2×18 H atoms
 * 14 Na atoms
 * 69 + 18 O atoms
 * 10 P atoms

Some of the atoms, specifically 26 H and 13 O atoms, are missing on the right-hand side. This suggests that the reaction generates 13 H2O molecules, i.e., your batter gets wetter. Does anyone know what's actually happening? Ozob (talk) 00:34, 11 June 2016 (UTC)
 * Great catch! Here is my math:
 * 14 NaHCO3 = 42 O, 14 H
 * 5 Ca(H2PO4)2 = 40 O, 20 H
 * O: 42 + 40 = 82
 * H: 34 H
 * 14 CO2 = 28 O
 * Ca5(PO4)3OH = 13 O, 1 H
 * 7 Na2HPO4 = 28 O, 1 7 H
 * O: 28 + 13 + 28 = 66 69
 * H: 1 + 1 7 = 2 8


 * Δ O = 16 13
 * Δ H = 32 24
 * --Smokefoot (talk) 03:41, 11 June 2016 (UTC)


 * But 7Na2HPO4 has 7×1 = 7 H and 28 + 13 + 28 = 69. Ozob (talk) 11:47, 11 June 2016 (UTC)
 * Hmm, recalculating, looks like we're closing in water being released but we're off by 1 H. --Smokefoot (talk) 13:26, 11 June 2016 (UTC)
 * Now 34 H − 8 H = 26 H, not 24 H. So we can get exactly 13 H2O.  Ozob (talk) 22:12, 11 June 2016 (UTC)

History of Baking Powder
Should it be noted here that the Romans used chalk in their flour likely to achieve the effect of baking powder? See Pliny Natural History Book XVIII C. 29.

Replace the word "Buffer"
In §Original preparations, the word "buffer" is used for the starch or other agent. That term has a specific meaning in acid–base chemistry (buffer (chemistry)), and even though this article is all about methods of preparing acids and bases to react in various ways, that's not the meaning of the word here. What would be a better word that doesn't have an incorrect dual meaning? DMacks (talk) 23:37, 23 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Source says "buffering material", we could go with that? Or "buffering component"? (I can't think of any single-word replacement) Schazjmd   (talk)  23:49, 23 April 2022 (UTC)

nutrition/health Sodium overload
The high amount of sodium (sliced bread) needs a mention 1 lb flour (4 cups) takes 4 teaspoon baking powder (2370mg sodium). Cake takes double. 2600:1700:CDA0:1060:6844:16A4:5F90:FBA4 (talk) 02:56, 26 July 2022 (UTC)

Also worth a mention, the sodium free baking powders are 32 times more expensive — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:1700:CDA0:1060:6844:16A4:5F90:FBA4 (talk) 04:38, 26 July 2022 (UTC)