Where can I find alum and how many forms does it come in?

Question

Where can I find alum and how many forms does it come in?

Answer 1

It's not a spice.  It's a type of salt (typically sodium - aluminium - sulphate).  I think it comes in the form of a white powder. You should be able to buy it from a chemist shop.

Baking powder has alum in it (you can buy it in supermarkets) but it may contain other stuff as well so is probably not pure.

Answer 2

Further to previous replies, the compound usually called alum is KAL(SO4)2.12H2O. However, it is one of a fairly large class of compounds with a trivalent and a univalent cation (other examples being ammonium and iron(III).

A couple of common uses for common alum; water clarification in treatment plants and the manufacture of styptic pencils - used to stop bleeding from shaving cuts. (If you decide to use one of these - it really hurts!)

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alum

Answer 3

it is sold as large crystals/rocks in most spice stores in india

Answer 4

alum is a spice and will be located on the spice aisle in most grocery stores (I have yet to see a grocery store without it).

It is available in powdered and granulated. The granulated is made up of small crystals (or big grains of salt-like size).

It is great for mouth ulcers....the powdered is better for this use.