January - February 2006

Chips

• We tested a total of 17 brands — 10 brands of potato chips and seven brands of banana chips — as per the specifications of the BIS.
  
  Best Buys

• We recommend Lays as the ‘best buy’ among the national brands of potato chips and Sushma among the regional brands. Among the regional brands of banana chips, A-1 and Balaji were equally good, though A-1 was lower in price by Rs 1.50 per 100 gm.
  
  
  Chemical

• The fat content was substantially above the specified range of 15-35 per cent in all brands of potato chips except one (Lays). Four out of seven brands of banana chips — Sree Ram, Jalsa, A-1 and Balaji — conformed to this parameter.
  
  
• The sodium content was also very high in most brands of potato chips and some brands of banana chips. Only Sushma and Samrat potato chips and Sree Ram, Jalsa, A-1 and Balaji banana chips contained sodium less than 550 mg per 100 gm.
  
  
• The moisture content was found to be higher than the limit in Induben (C.G. Road) potato chips (4.5 per cent) against the Standard maximum of 3 per cent.
  
• The acid value of extracted fat was higher than the stipulated limit of 2 in one brand of banana chips — Induben (Mithakhali) at 4.
  
  
  Sensory
  
• In the sensory analysis, among the potato chips Uncle Chipps topped the list with a score of 76.8 per cent. Among the banana chips Sree Ram was liked the most with a score of 68.2 per cent.
  
  Nutrition
  
• Balaji and Lays potato chips contained the maximum amount of protein (7 per cent), Lays the most carbohydrate content (55 per cent) and Samrat and Sushma the maximum amount of energy (590 Kcal per 100 gm). Samrat, Balaji and Induben banana chips had the maximum protein content (3 per cent), Sree Ram the most carbohydrate content (63 per cent) and Sushma the maximum amount of energy (570 Kcal per 100 gm).
  
  
  Weight
  
• Five brands were found not complying with the Standards of Weights and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 1977, with the net weight lower than the maximum permissible error limit. These were Sushma, Samrat and O.K. potato chips, and Jalsa and Induben banana chips.
  
  
  Labelling
  
• Four brands of potato chips (Induben, Camy, O.K. and Kailash) and four brands of banana chips (A-1, Sree Ram, Jalsa and Induben) did not comply with the PFA Act’s labelling requirements.
  
• The maximum retail prices (MRPs) and packing sizes of different brands varied widely.

Details of the test report can be read in INSIGHT

Subscribe now for your copy of INSIGHT