RECOMMENDED: 180th anniversary of commercialized 'Baking Powder' / 1846-2026 🍚 🥣

The Arm & Hammer story...
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) was first discovered by German pharmacist Valentin Rose in 1801, with industrial production beginning via the so called Solvay process in the 1860s. It was identified as a reliable baking leavener in the 1830s, replacing older methods, and became widely commercialized by brands like Arm & Hammer starting around 1846. 

• Discovery: While Nicolas Leblanc produced soda ash in 1791, Valentin Rose the Younger is credited with discovering sodium bicarbonate in 1801.
• Early Use: Before widespread manufacturing, it was used in the 1830s with sour milk to make dough rise.
• Production: Originally, it was derived from natural deposits, but later produced via the Solvay process (using salt, ammonia, and carbon dioxide).
• Commercialization: Arm & Hammer introduced its baking soda in 1846.
• Baking Powder: In the 1850s, Harvard chemist Eben Norton Horsford invented a more stable, pre-mixed version known as baking powder. 

 

Illustration: onlykutts.com