YouTuber: "Experiment shows only 0.6 potatoes per bag"
Orion: "That is not accurate... Process differences must be considered"
Orion's 'Poca Chip,' often nicknamed a 'nitrogen snack' due to the perception that it contains more nitrogen than actual contents, recently became the subject of debate after a YouTuber conducted an experiment to determine how many potatoes are in a single bag. The YouTuber claimed that only 0.6 potatoes are used per bag, sparking widespread attention. However, Orion, the manufacturer, responded that this claim is inaccurate, clarifying that between 1 and 1.5 potatoes are actually used in the production process.
A YouTuber is conducting an experiment to find out how many potatoes are in one bag of 'Poca Chip'. YouTube channel 'Zero B'.
YouTuber: “After frying them myself, only 0.6 potatoes per bag”
On November 6, YouTuber ZeroB released a video titled “How Many Potatoes Are in a Bag of Poca Chip?” In the video, he commented, “Poca Chip is famous for the saying, ‘You buy nitrogen and get potato chips as a bonus.’ Some even say ‘Poca’ means ‘few’ in Spanish. Let’s see if it lives up to its name,” and began his experiment.
ZeroB measured the diameter of an actual Poca Chip at 66.9mm, then prepared three potatoes of similar size, totaling 998g. He washed the potatoes with their skins on, sliced them to a thickness of 1.5-2mm, removed the starch, blanched them once, fried them in oil, and seasoned them with salt.
The final weight of the finished potato chips was 324g, which meant that about 108g of chips were made per potato. Based on this, he calculated that a 66g bag of Poca Chip contains the equivalent of 0.6 potatoes. ZeroB concluded, “So, a bag of Poca Chip contains just over half a potato. Still, it tastes good, so I can forgive it.” The video surpassed 6.5 million views in just four days, drawing significant public interest.
Orion: “Actually, 1 to 1.5 potatoes are used per bag… Consider moisture loss and process differences”
However, Orion immediately issued a correction, stating that the claim was not accurate. An Orion researcher explained through the company’s official account, “A 66g bag of Poca Chip contains between one and one and a half potatoes, each weighing about 200g on average.” The researcher further clarified, “Raw potatoes contain 80-85% water, most of which evaporates during frying, so a simple weight comparison is not valid.”
The researcher added, “The high-temperature, short-time frying process used in factories results in lower oil absorption and higher moisture removal, whereas home frying can lead to higher oil content depending on temperature, time, and blanching. Because of these differences, the amount of potato may have been underestimated in the experiment.” The researcher also emphasized, “Poca Chip is made from a special variety of potato developed by the Gangwon Potato Research Institute, and we are continuously improving our production process to maintain a light and crispy texture.”
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