After busily cleaning out the pantry, I discovered two open, but only partially used, containers that I didn't know I had. One was baking powder and one was baking soda. It's always useful to have extra on hand in case of a baking emergency, but I figured that it would be a good idea to test them to see if they still worked, since chemical leaveners can lose their potency over time for various reasons, including poor storage conditions.

The procedure for testing these two products is simple. Get out two small glasses or bowls and fill one with 3-4 tablespoons of white vinegar and fill the other with 3-4 tablespoons of room temperature water. Add about 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to the bowl containing the vinegar and the same amount of baking powder to the water bowl. Each mixture should fizz up, with the soda/vinegar producing a bigger reaction. If they both work, mark the containers with the date and check them again in 6-12 months (if you haven't used them up by then) to make sure they're still active. And if they don't fizz up, you better stop by the store before the next time you want to whip up a batch of cookies.

Some folks just don't dig eggs. I'm one and I know there are plenty of us out there. I love chicken ( I doubt they love me) but the thought of eating their eggs makes me ill. I have cooked and baked with thousands of eggs because I was being paid. Paging Dr. Freud.

• Try arrowroot. Known for its easily digestible starch, it can be used to replace eggs in small batch recipes (4 or fewer servings). 2 Tablespoons= 1 egg

• Then there is always cornstarch: 2 Tablespoons= 1 egg.

• Potato starch is good, too: again, 2 Tablespoons= 1 egg.

• 1 heaping Tablespoon soy powder= 1 egg

These four substitutes are meant for use in baking. I have had good results using arrowroot and potato starch in German Potato Salad...but I wouldn't push it any further. When it comes to sauces and dressings, lump it or leave it.

If you can handle egg whites, try 1 tablespoon powdered milk and 2 or 3 whites. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring to make it look real. This would be for smaller, personal and experimental recipes like white omelets or glazes. Don't bother with meringues. If you have to make a pound cake or hollandaise, well, you probably don't have an egg issue. So crack 'em up and enjoy.

A recall of Coca-Cola brand soft drinks in Japan, originally issued last week, has been broadened to include an estimated 2.4 million bottles, according to BeverageDaily.com. Defective equipment at Japanese factory is believe to be responsible for iron powder in some bottles. Coca-Cola says that the iron powder does not present a health concern, according to a Forbes article. The number of drinks involved in the recall has risen from six to 27 and includes Coca-Cola and Fanta brands as well as local beverages including Qoo and Aquarius, Beverage Daily reported. MSN also reports on the initial recall.

Baking powder and baking soda are both types of chemical leaveners used in baking. The two have different properties, so they cannot simply be substituted for one another directly.

Baking soda is also known as bicarbonate of soda. It reacts with acidic ingredients, such as buttermilk, yogurt and molasses to create bubbles of carbon dioxide, which causes batter to rise. It starts to work immediately when exposed to the acidic ingredient, so a batter made with baking soda should generally be baked as soon after mixing as possible. Baking soda can also aid in browning during baking.

Baking powder is actually a combination of baking soda, cream of tartar and a bit of cornstarch. Cream of tartar is an acidic ingredient, so it prompts the baking soda to work even when no other acidic ingredients are present in a batter. The cornstarch absorbs moisture and prevents the baking powder from being activated too quickly, or before it makes it into the batter in the first place. It works by releasing CO2 bubbles, just as baking soda does. Many baking powders, and most of those used in the US, are "double acting," meaning that they work once when exposed to moisture and again when exposed to heat. This gives the impression that baking powder doughs and batters will rise higher than those made with baking soda alone, but this is not necessarily the case.