Why does lumps appear when baking powder is added to flour? What should I do if lumps appear when baking powder is added to flour?

Baking powder is quite common in our daily life. It is loved by people because it can shorten the fermentation time and make the dough fluffy. However, many people always encounter lumps when using it to make dough. So why does baking powder form lumps in flour? What should we do if there are lumps in flour? Let's take a look.

Why does baking powder form lumps when added to flour?

The first reason why baking powder forms lumps in flour is that it is likely to happen when you are making batter, especially when you add baking powder directly after the flour is stirred into a paste. In this way, the outer layer of the powder is moist and clumpy while the inside is still dry, so small lumps are formed.

What should I do if there are lumps when baking powder is added to flour?

If baking powder forms lumps in flour, it may happen when you are making batter, especially if you put in baking powder directly after the flour is stirred into a paste without first melting the baking powder in water. This makes it difficult to stir evenly and lumps easily form, which is unlikely to happen when mixing with dough. Your baking powder may be expired and ineffective. If you encounter such a problem, it is recommended that you do not use it to avoid affecting your health.

Is the commonly used baking powder harmful to the human body?

It is possible that it is harmful. It mainly depends on the ingredients of baking powder. Baking powder is a neutral substance, which contains alkaline baking soda and some other acidic substances, and then mixed with corn starch to separate the two to avoid premature reaction.

The problem lies in the acidic substances. In the past, one of the acidic substances in most baking powders was potassium alum. Long-term and large-scale consumption of potassium alum can lead to osteoporosis, anemia, and even affect the development of the nervous system and cause Alzheimer's disease. Now most baking powders do not contain alum, and other acidic substances are used instead of alum.