Cream Of Tarter

Cream of tartar is a powder made from tartaric acid, a natural byproduct of winemaking. It is typically purified and then ground into a fine white powder. It is often sold in the baking aisle of grocery stores.

Cream of tartar is used in baking as a leavening agent, often combined with baking soda to create a chemical reaction that makes baked goods rise. It also helps stabilize egg whites when whipping them for meringues and angel food cakes. It can be found in cookies, cakes, and other baked goods.

In the U.S., cream of tartar is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA when used for its intended purpose in food. It is not known to have adverse health effects at the levels typically consumed in food. International bodies like JECFA have evaluated tartaric acid and its salts, but they did not set a numeric acceptable daily intake limit. There are no significant controversies regarding its use in food.