The aperitif is a must in the summer. On the occasion of a barbecue with friends, an improvised picnic or on the terrace, it is a convivial moment that we particularly like in France. On the tables, the small glass of rosé, the sausage but also and above all… the crisps (not really good for the line but who cares!). They are delicious, yes, but they are also among the most "misleading" products on the market. Indeed, a package would be composed of 43% air – and more precisely nitrogen – on average. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by Kitchen Cabinets Kings, an American brand specializing in kitchen furniture, which analyzed packets of crisps from 14 different brands. For each of the packets, the portion of chips was poured into a plastic bag which was subjected to vacuum suction. The “shrunken” bag was then placed in water and measurements were made to concretely note the changes.
It turned out that an average packet of crisps is composed of 43% nitrogen, with American brands inflating their packets by up to 50% and even 59%! Regarding the brands marketed in France, Doritos is the bad student with 48% air – but what are we going to eat our guacamole with, if we stop buying them?! – ahead of Lays and his 41% air and the Pringles at 28%. But why so much air, anyway? Simply to limit damage during transport. Well, okay, but it's still a shame to enjoy half as many chips... We're going to favor Pringles then and too bad if our hips don't say thank you!
