Potato Chips

In 1853, potato chips (sometimes called crisps) were invented by a Native American/African American cook, probably as an angry or humorous response to an irate customer. The customer repeatedly complained that his fried potatoes were too fat and soggy, so the chef created paper-thin, crisp, seasoned potatoes, expecting the customer to hate them. To his surprise, the customer loved them, and they then became a regular on the menu in the Sarasota Springs, New York resort where they originated.

Today, they are among the most popular of snack foods and account for more than one third of the total savory snacks market. Nowadays, supermarkets display a huge range of variations on the original potato chip. These include reduced fat, barbecue-flavored, sour cream and onion, sea salt and vinegar, flamin’ hot, kettle cooked, ridged, scoop-shaped for eating with dips, and potato sticks. In Canada, in the 1970s, fruit-flavored chips were put on the market, but they weren’t popular and quickly disappeared.

Are potato chips unhealthy? In general, foods high in salt and fat should be eaten in moderation. Furthermore, acrylamide, a naturally occurring by-product of the cooking process, is found in foods such as potato chips and fries and may be linked to an increased risk of heart disease, nervous system disorders, and cancer.