- What is Bicarbonate of Soda ?
- Is it the same as Baking Powder ?
- Is it the same as Baking Soda?
- What is Washing Soda?
Answers
- Bicarbonate of soda - chemical formula NaHCO3 - is a white powder which for centuries has been used in the kitchen as a raising agent,[eg in scones, and of course, soda bread] and in the sickroom as an antacid [a key ingredient in Alka Seltzer].
- NO - Baking powder is a combination of bicarb [an alkali] and cream of tartar [tartaric acid] When these get wet, they react, causing air bubbles.
- YES - Baking soda is the US name for bicarb.
- SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY Washing soda - chemical formula Na2CO3 - is a different thing altogether. If you heat bicarb in the oven, you will drive off the CO2 and H2O molecules, leaving you with washing soda. BUT it is a dangerous chemical, causing skin irritation [ and vomiting if ingested] However, many people like to wash clothes/dishes with this product as it is a 'natural' product. It is often sold as 'soda crystals'
Now the thing is, the much safer bicarb is also good for cleaning- mix it to a paste with lemon juice and use it gently to remove tea stains from your mugs, or beetroot stains from the sink. Bob used most of my bicarb last week to clean something.
That's fine, but I needed to replace it as I want to do some baking. I was in The Range - which sells random food products - and so I asked "Do you sell bicarbonate of soda?" I was told "It's in DIY"
I went to DIY and repeated the question "In DIY we usually have soda crystals, but we are out of stock. You want baking soda back in homewares"
I returned to homewares - and see the original assistant, actually stocking a shelf right next to a product labelled "baking soda". I picked up a container and said "Excuse me, you do have bicarbonate of soda after all, it is right here" and she said "Oh, if you had said baking soda I would have known what you meant"
Well, I figured maybe she was used to the American term, so I let her off.
But time was pressing, so I went off to the till and paid for my stuff.
Only when I got home did I realise that the small print on the back tells me that the ingredients of this bottle 'contain bicarbonate of soda' but it is not safe for human consumption, or for baking, or for use as an antacid. Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, which mentions its cleansing properties on the packet, also stresses it is 100% compliant with food codes. This one, on the other hand, calls itself baking soda, but cannot be used for baking.
I have complained to The Range, as I think this is extremely misleading. I don't know what they have added to the bicarb - but to actually call it baking soda when it isn't seems quite wrong to me.
Wilkos sell Bicarbonate Soda in a cardboard box in case you go in... it is funny you should mention the above because I was looking up online how to descale a kettle as I couldn't remember whether it was SB or citric acid to use (I looked inside the kettle in the PPA room at school and the limescale is so bad, it looks like a brain!!!! Nobody else is going to do it if I don't!). I then got confused as I definitely remember only using a powder when I did it, not vinegar as well...what do you use to descale?
ReplyDeleteI hope they give you a proper response as their packaging is indeed misleading and unhelpful.x
I love the idea of a brain inside the school kettle. Adding a spoonful of vinegar helps speed up the process. But putting a Cadnit fur collector in the kettle (and regularly taking it out and massaging it in a bowl of water to release its contents) means much less furring up. I must check out Wilkos stock next time I'm in there.
ReplyDeleteWe have baking soda, which is used for baking, for cleaning, and as a deodorizer. I would have assumed anything sold as "baking" soda to be safe for baking! I'm glad you checked the small print! Definitely, false labeling!
ReplyDeleteCalling a product Baking Soda when it's not for baking sounds positively dangerous to me! Well done for complaining...I wonder what the outcome (if any) will be?
ReplyDelete