A spread of potato chips

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

STANDARDS

NGSS: Core Idea: ETS1.C, PS1.B, LS1.D

CCSS: Writing: 1

TEKS: 6.2B, 6.6E, 7.2B, 8.2B, I.8A

Data Analysis

Crunch Factor

Discover the science behind what makes potato chips delicious

AS YOU READ, THINK ABOUT the reasons potato chips are so addictive.  

Legend has it that in 1853, a customer dining at a restaurant in Saratoga Springs, New York, complained that the fries he’d ordered were too thick. That annoyed George Crum, the restaurant’s chef. So Crum cut the next batch of potatoes into extremely thin slices, fried them until they were crisp, and sent them out to the customer. It was meant to be a joke, but the customer loved Crum’s creation. Soon, people were clamoring to try Crum’s “potato chips.”

Potato chips remain a popular snack because of their delicious combo of salt, fat, and crunch. Our bodies are hardwired to like sodium chloride (NaCl), or salt, because our muscles and nerves require this mineral to function. When we eat salty food, like chips, our brains release a feel-good chemical called dopamine, which triggers us to crave more. Our brains respond in a similar way to foods high in fat, which the body needs for energy. Crunchy foods also have this effect—possibly because crunchiness signals that a food is fresher or more nourishing than one that’s soft or soggy.

Chemistry is required to create chips’ mouthwatering flavor and texture. When potato slices are dropped into hot oil, they turn golden brown. “We call this browning process the Maillard reaction,” says Christopher Hendon, a chemist at the University of Oregon. This reaction occurs between starch—sugar stored in plant tissues—and proteins when foods are cooked. “It creates a variety of complex flavors,” says Hendon. So the next time you munch a potato chip, remember all the science that goes into making this treat tasty.

Legend has it that in 1853, a customer ordered fries at a restaurant in Saratoga Springs, New York. He complained that the fries were too thick. That annoyed George Crum, the restaurant’s chef. So Crum cut the next batch of potatoes into extremely thin slices. He fried them until they were crisp. Then he sent them out to the customer. It was meant as a joke, but the customer loved Crum’s creation. Soon, many people wanted to try Crum’s “potato chips.”

Potato chips are still a popular snack. That’s because of their delicious combo of salt, fat, and crunch. Our bodies are hardwired to like sodium chloride (NaCl), or salt. Our muscles and nerves need this mineral to function. When we eat salty food, like chips, our brains release a feel-good chemical called dopamine. It triggers us to crave more. Our brains also respond this way to foods high in fat. The body needs fat for energy. Crunchy foods have this effect too. Maybe crunchiness signals that a food is fresh. Or the food might seem more healthful than soft or soggy food.

Chemistry creates chips’ mouthwatering flavor and feel. When potato slices are dropped into hot oil, they turn golden brown. “We call this browning process the Maillard reaction,” says Christopher Hendon, a chemist at the University of Oregon. This is a reaction between proteins and starch—sugar stored in plant tissues. It occurs when foods are cooked. “It creates a variety of complex flavors,” says Hendon. So the next time you munch a potato chip, remember all the science that goes into this tasty treat.

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Each year, Americans eat about 1.85 billion pounds of potato chips—about 6.6 pounds per person!

Each year, Americans eat about 1.85 billion pounds of potato chips—about 6.6 pounds per person!



What does your class think?

What’s your top chip flavor?

Please enter a valid number of votes for one class to proceed.

What’s your top chip flavor?

Please select an answer to vote.

What’s your top chip flavor?

0%
0votes
{{result.answer}}
Total Votes: 0
Thank you for voting!
Sorry, an error occurred and your vote could not be processed. Please try again later.
Skills Sheets (4)
Skills Sheets (4)
Skills Sheets (4)
Skills Sheets (4)
Lesson Plan (2)
Lesson Plan (2)
Text-to-Speech