Have you ever opened a bag of chips and felt a little disappointed by the amount of air inside? You’re not alone. Many people have noticed that chip bags often seem half empty, and have wondered why this is the case.
Well, the reason is actually quite simple: it’s all about preservation. When chips are made, they are fried or baked to perfection. However, once they are packaged and exposed to air, they start to lose their crispiness. In order to keep them fresh for as long as possible, manufacturers fill the bags with a small amount of nitrogen gas.
This nitrogen gas acts as a barrier between the chips and the outside air, preventing oxygen from getting in and causing the chips to go stale. It also helps to keep the chips from getting crushed during transportation. By filling the bags with nitrogen gas, manufacturers can ensure that the chips will stay fresh for longer and reach the consumer in the best possible condition.
However, the downside of this method is that the bags appear to be less full than they actually are. This can be a bit of a bummer for consumers who are used to seeing bags that are completely filled with chips. But it’s important to remember that the goal of packaging chips is to ensure that they stay fresh for as long as possible, not to fill the bags to the brim.
It’s also worth noting that this isn’t just a problem with chip bags – many other packaged food products also contain a significant amount of air. From cereal boxes to jars of peanut butter, manufacturers use similar methods to keep their products fresh and prevent them from getting crushed during transportation.
So next time you open a bag of chips and feel a little disappointed by the amount of air inside, remember that it’s all for the sake of preservation. The manufacturers are doing their best to ensure that the chips you’re eating are as fresh and delicious as possible. And, after all, isn’t that what really matters?
