"The 'Shortcut to Getting Fat,' Once a Gourmet Chef's Dish... The Secret Behind 1.3mm [Delicious Stories]"

Potato Chips Converge at Around 1.3mm Thickness
A Balance Between Texture and Preservation
From Gourmet Dish to Snack Through Technological Advancement

Editor's NoteThe first snacks are believed to have originated in the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. In other words, snacks have been present throughout every moment of human history. From biscuits and chocolate to ice cream, we bring you the delicious stories behind the treats we love.

Potato chips are made by thinly slicing potatoes, frying them, and seasoning them with flavored powders. These snacks look quite similar whether in Korea or abroad-even the thickness is nearly identical. But why are potato chips always sliced to the precise thickness we are familiar with today? The answer lies in the intense deliberation within the food industry to popularize potato chips.

The Standard Thickness of Potato Chips: Around 1.3mm

Potato chips. Pixabay

The thickness of commercially available potato chips is around 1.3mm. According to an agricultural research team at the University of Sarajevo in Bosnia, which analyzed the thickness of 20 leading potato chip brands worldwide, the average thickness was found to be 1.35mm. Ray's, the largest potato chip brand in the United States, also produces its chips at a similar thickness of 1.3mm. The same applies to Korean potato chip brands. Leading domestic confectionery companies such as Haitai Confectionery and Orion are known to produce potato chips with an average thickness between 1.2mm and 1.4mm.

The reason potato chips have converged to a thickness of around 1.3mm is due to the nature of fried foods. Unlike other snacks made by mixing various ingredients, potato chips are made by slicing and frying whole potatoes, which makes them more susceptible to spoilage. If the potato slices are too thick, the moisture inside causes the chips to become soggy quickly. Conversely, if the slices are too thin, they absorb too much oil and become prone to rancidity. Striving for a balance between crispiness and preservation has led to the average thickness of 1.3mm.

Potato Chips Once Required Skilled Chefs and Were a Gourmet Dish

Although potato chips are now a common, inexpensive snack found everywhere, they actually originated as a gourmet dish in a high-end restaurant. It is believed that George Crum, the head chef at an upscale restaurant in New York in the late 19th century, developed the recipe.

Originally, potato chips were made by hand-peeling potatoes, expertly slicing them thinly with a knife, and then quickly frying them in hot oil. Despite being made from just a single potato, the need for skilled chefs made potato chips an expensive dish. They were often served alongside main courses in hotel restaurants, and wealthy Americans even hired personal chefs dedicated solely to making potato chips.

Laura Scudder, the inventor of the first potato chip packaging bag. American Snack Museum website

It was in the 1920s that potato chips transformed from a gourmet dish into a snack. American entrepreneur Laura Scudder invented a paper bag that allowed potato chips to be individually packaged, making it possible to preserve them for longer periods.

Another key invention was the potato slicer machine. Previously, making the perfect potato chip required skilled chefs, but the invention of the slicer enabled mass production without them. Unlike the packaging, the original inventor of the slicer is unclear. However, the United States Patent and Trademark Office archives indicate that in 1906, an inventor named Isaac B. Lansford patented a "cooking machine that slices potatoes and other vegetables to uniform thickness."

Advertisement for the potato slicer machine by Herbert Company in the United States. Herbert official website

The earliest slicer machines were closer to hand-held blades. By pulling a handle, a mandoline blade would descend and slice the potato. However, as mechanical engineering and steel technology advanced, slicer machines became increasingly automated and precise, and today, they can cut large quantities of potatoes into slices 1-2mm thick.

Delivered by Car During the Great Depression

Thanks to mechanized slicing techniques and packaging that enabled long-term preservation, potato chips became an affordable snack accessible to everyone. High in fat and calories, potato chips also served as an important relief food for Americans who often skipped meals during the Great Depression of the 1930s. During this time, American businessman Herman Lay began delivering bags of potato chips across the United States by loading them into his car. As his business flourished, he established a company specializing in potato chip production in 1937. This company is now known as Ray's, the world's leading potato chip brand.

A model of the vehicle driven by Herman Lay when delivering potato chips in 1933. Race official X account

In Korea, Nongshim produced the country's first potato chips, called Potato Chip, at its Anyang factory in 1979. In 1988, Orion launched its own potato chip brand, Poca Chip, sparking full-scale competition in the potato chip market. Once dominated by plain salted flavors, potato chips have since evolved into unique snacks with a variety of seasonings such as onion, tteokbokki, honey butter, and Cheongyang mayo. According to the Food Industry Statistics Information System, domestic potato chip sales reached 408.3 billion won last year.