Chips
- Posted by CERC India
- Posted in Food
Key Findings
We tested a total of 17 brands — 10 brands of potato chips and seven brands of banana chips — as per the specifications of the BIS.
Comparative product testing of popular brands of chips in our laboratory yielded some startling findings. While Uncle Chipps and Reliance Select Masti Oye both scored 45%in our taste test, Uncle Chipps contained a staggering 933mg of sodium per 100g, whereas Reliance Select Masti Oye had the least sodium among brands we tested, at 470mg. As far as fat content goes, Bingo had the lowest fat content at 30.8g per 100g, while Lay’s Classic and Real Wafers both contained 35g fat, the highest of all the brands on test.Comparative product testing of popular brands of chips in our laboratory yielded some startling findings. While Uncle Chipps and Reliance Select Masti Oye both scored 45%in our taste test, Uncle Chipps contained a staggering 933mg of sodium per 100g, whereas Reliance Select Masti Oye had the least sodium among brands we tested, at 470mg. As far as fat content goes, Bingo had the lowest fat content at 30.8g per 100g, while Lay’s Classic and Real Wafers both contained 35g fat, the highest of all the brands on test.
Chemical
- The fat content was substantially above the specified range of 15-35 per cent in all brands of potato chips except one (Lays). Four out of seven brands of banana chips — Sree Ram, Jalsa, A-1 and Balaji — conformed to this parameter.
- The sodium content was also very high in most brands of potato chips and some brands of banana chips. Only Sushma and Samrat potato chips and Sree Ram, Jalsa, A-1 and Balaji banana chips contained sodium less than 550 mg per 100 gm.
- The moisture content was found to be higher than the limit in Induben (C.G. Road) potato chips (4.5 per cent) against the Standard maximum of 3 per cent.
- The acid value of extracted fat was higher than the stipulated limit of 2 in one brand of banana chips — Induben (Mithakhali) at 4.
Nutrition
- Balaji and Lays potato chips contained the maximum amount of protein (7 per cent), Lays the most carbohydrate content (55 per cent) and Samrat and Sushma the maximum amount of energy (590 Kcal per 100 gm). Samrat, Balaji and Induben banana chips had the maximum protein content (3 per cent), Sree Ram the most carbohydrate content (63 per cent) and Sushma the maximum amount of energy (570 Kcal per 100 gm).
Areas of Actions
- Standards should be made mandatory for potato and banana chips as this would lead to a better quality control.
- Manufacturers should mention on the labels the types of oil used – saturated, unsaturated or hydrogenated.
- The BIS should take note of salt minimisation efforts recommended by the Food Standards Agency (UK). It should suggest limits for salt and sodium, taking into account our country’s topical climate.
- Nutritional information should be given on the labels, as in other countries.
- The third Schedule of the Standards of Weights and Measures (packaged commodities) Rules 1977, needs to include chips so that they are available only in standard quantity and consumers can easily compare the prices of different brands.
