Food scientist reveals the real reason chip packets have so much air
If you've ever opened up a bag of chips only to be dismayed when the bag is half empty, you're not alone. Apparently, there is a very good reason why chip companies do this.
When you open a bag of chips to find them half empty, this is not the company scamming you, it is actually a necessity to ensure that your chips are fresh and intact.
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There is actually a scientific purpose behind filling chip packets with air. Getty Images/iStockphoto
In a nutshell, the air in your chip bag is nitrogen gas and this helps the chips last longer and taste better. Moreover, if the bag was filled to the brim with chips, chances are that you wouldn't actually enjoy them as they'd most likely be crushed and stale.
9Honey Kitchen reached out to a food scientist for further clarification on why it's essential that chip bags contain the nitrogen air.
"The chip itself is actually quite delicate, if we filled the chip bag to the top, it would lose its profile of being a crisp chip," they said.
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Without the air inside the package, chips could become soggy. Getty Images/iStockphoto
"Similarly, if you fill the bag to the brim, the quality of chips would be compromised because it would create moisture resulting in soggy chips and no one likes soggy chips!"
In 2017, a study by CDA Appliances found that the average bag of chips is 72 per cent empty, leaving just over a quarter of the bag for chips.
CDA found that whilst the extra air does in fact keep chips fresher for longer, it does not afford the level of protection that it purports to.
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Whilst this study found that extra air doesn't necessarily protect chips in transit, it does ensure freshness. Getty
The group enacted a drop test on opened and unopened bags to find out just how much cushioning the extra air provides. In the unopened bag 4/14 chips were damaged from the drop test whereas 3/14 chips were damaged in the opened bag.
So there you have it! Myth busted. Whilst a bag of chips that comprises of 70 per cent air is annoying, it is seemingly imperative to achieving an edible snack!
