Chips and Crackers
Tips & Advice to help you make your decision on Chips and Crackers
Chips and crackers have long been an essential part of snacking history. Gatherings and parties would not be the same without these two elements being passed around on plates. Business.com is here to give you the inside scoop on all of their crunchy goodness.
What would you dip into your famous game day chili dip without chips? Although they are traditionally made out of thin slices of potatoes and fried in oil, chips may also be baked and made out of almost any vegetable. Avocado chips are just one of the more colorful varieties on store shelves.
What would a meat and cheese tray be without your favorite wafers to layer the flavors on? Conventional crackers are made from wheat flour and baked to a crispy golden color. However, with the onslaught of new food allergies, specialty crackers made from other types of flour are hitting the market. Crackers made from rice flour are just one of the options available that do not contain gluten.
Appetizers and afternoon munchies may have never have turned into the pleasures they are without chips and crackers. Check out the links on this Business.com page to find out more about the snacking fascination associated with these two crispy noshing staples.
Chips and Crackers Key Terms
Learn some of the basic terms associated with chips and crackersBy Jason Wood Chips and crackers are a huge business throughout the world. Throughout the day, a majority of Americans will have at least one of these items during a meal or snack. With such a huge industry built around these items, there are some key terms associated with chips and crackers that you should learn if you're going to cross paths with these companies in business. Here's a smattering of the terms bandied about in the chip and cracker industry.
Trans fat
Trans fat is a form of unsaturated fat that contains at least one double bond between carbon atoms. In relation to chips and crackers, trans fat is created when oil is hydrogenated. This process gives chips, crackers and other snacks a longer shelf life. Recently, many companies have tried to greatly reduce or eliminate trans fat from their products.
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The American Heart Association has extensive information about the risks of trans fat.
MSG
MSG stands for monosodium glutamate. Produced through the process of fermentation, MSG is said to enhance the flavors of food. It is a common ingredient in crackers and chips.
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Frito Lay has information about many ingredients in their crackers and chips, including MSG.
Enriched flour
Enriched flour is a base component of many crackers that are currently on the market. It refers to flour that has been fortified and enriched with vitamins or other components that were lost while it was prepared.
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Recipe Tips has information on enriched flour, as well as a glossary on food-related terms. The Journal of Nutrition also has information on enriched flour.
Color additive, food dye
A color additive refers to the food dye that a cracker or chip manufacturer may add to its product to enhance the final color. Originally regulated by the Food and Drug Administration in 1906, there are only seven color additives or food dyes allowed in the United States. These additives may be mixed together to form the desired color.
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The FDA has extensive information on color additives and food dyes. The International Foodcraft Corporation also explores the subject in detail.
Sunflower oil
Boasting more vitamin E than any other oil used for frying, sunflower oil is produced from the seed of the sunflower. The shell is cracked, the seed extracted and then crushed. This releases the oil, while the rest of the seed pulp is thrown away. Sunflower oil has become quite popular in the chip and cracker industry because of its health benefits.
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The National Sunflower Association discusses three types of sunflower oil.
Shelf life
Shelf life refers to the time from when the potato chip, cracker or other food item is packaged and sealed until it will spoil. In the potato chip and cracker industry, companies strive for a long shelf life for their products.
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The Virginia Cooperative Extension has an extensive discussion of shelf life.
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