cover story Crunch time for crisps
Ursula Arens
Freelance dietitian
P
otato crisps are a simple to improve that nutritional profile of Although less than one pack in ten
food: thin slices of potato
these treat foods, and there are now in bought by an under sixteen year
fried in vegetable oil, with
many ‘healthier’ versions on shelf. old, more than one pack in three is
a sprinkle of salt and a dash of
The UK consumer really loves consumed by this group. The Brit-
flavouring. The original flavours are
potato crisps. We consume 6,000 ish Heart Foundation is concerned
still the most popular: ready-salted,
million packs a year, averaging three about the regular consumption of
and a half kilos per person per year. potato crisps in the diets of many
salt-and-vinegar, and cheese-and-
Eating a lot means spending a lot, young children, and the fact that this
onion, although recently crisps
and the UK sales value of crisps is four food has now become a staple; a
have been on a bit of an interna-
billion Euros, which is about one third survey they announced in January
tional mission creep, perhaps to
of total EU crisp sales. It takes four 2008 reported that more than 80 per-
better penetrate the adult market. kilos of potatoes to make one kilo of cent of the children they questioned
Although salt-and-vinegar now crisps, and British potato producers ‘did not consider crisps are a treat’.
often appears transmuted to ‘mature cannot keep up with the demand Dr Mike Knapton of the British Heart
Modena balsamic with a touch of from crisp producers; in addition to Foundation is concerned that many
Peruvian sea-salt’ flavour, the calories the 550 thousand tons of UK produce, formerly treat and special occasional
per crunch are unchanged. Howev- 150 thousand tons of potatoes are foods, are now becoming everyday
er, there have been some attempts imported every year. dietary items: “Junk food market-
10 NHDmag.com May ‘08 - issue 34
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