With so many chip brands on the market, it’s always up for debate which one is the best. We could passionately argue why one brand is better than another all day, but what many of us are really curious about is how potato chips stay fresh in the bag. If you’ve ever wondered about the incredible science behind the sustained freshness of chips, here’s your chance to learn how bags keep potato chips fresh.
What Keeps Potato Chips Fresh?
Everyone has wondered about this question, and the short answer is nitrogen. This nitrogen comes from plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and don’t worry—it’s safe! Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is a harmless vapor that coats thin materials like plastic to keep them safe under high temperatures.
Why Is PECVD Used in the Food Packaging Industry?
Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is a clean, ready-to-use process that relies on substrates like nitrogen to create a shiny appearance on the bags. This chemical vapor is why potato chip bags are shiny.
PECVD uses nitrogen as its substrate. Technically speaking, the reason a potato chip bag feels like a balloon is not that it’s vacuum-sealed with air; it’s because nitrogen gas is placed inside to keep the chips from oxidizing and going stale.
Why Use Nitrogen Gas and Not Oxygen in Potato Chip Bags?
The point of using nitrogen gas is to help keep chips fresh. You won’t see oxygen in bags because it’s a reactive chemical, meaning that anything interacting with oxygen goes through changes quickly. If you were to open an oxygen-filled potato chip bag, you wouldn’t have anything but stale chips.
The Best Place To Store Your Chips
Now that you have this excellent potato chip wisdom, you can start to consider how you should store chips and, most importantly, what the right way is to close a chip bag. Let’s start by exploring the best ways to store your chips.
Freezer
Why store potato chips in the freezer? Is there magic hidden deep inside the ice crystals? Unfortunately, there’s no special magic here. However, once potato chips are exposed to oxygen and sunlight, they turn stale fast and lose their flavor. The freezer locks in freshness, ensuring chips stay fresh longer.
Since the chips don’t have moisture, placing them in the freezer prevents soggy chips. You can enjoy even crispier chips by choosing to store them in the freezer instead of the pantry.
If you want to store your potato chips in the pantry, try using a clear container. Containers keep air out, but it’s better to invest in containers or jars with air-tight lids since they keep chips fresher.
Now that you’ve learned something new about potato chips, you can start the hunt for the perfect chip! Try to find a good dip to pair with your favorite potato chips, and share this new knowledge with another potato chip enthusiast. We’re confident these facts will be a highlight of any fun get-together with friends and family.
