If you need a light snack to munch on, potato chips are the perfect companion. These thin layers of potato are loaded with crispiness and flavor for your snack, appetizer, or even a side dish. What's more, potato chips make up for around 40% of the US's snack consumption! If you've recently started a gluten-free diet, you're likely to question every food around you for gluten-containing ingredients. Your typical snacks are bound to cross your mind as well, including potato chips. Here's everything you need to know about gluten in store-bought potato chips.
What Are Potato Chips Made From?
You don't have to be smart to know that potato chips are made from potatoes. The potatoes go through an entire process of being cut, dried, fried, processed, and finally reaching stores in packages. The traditional thinly sliced potato chips came into existence 150 years ago. Today, this snack is munched worldwide, with food companies producing thousands of potato chips every day. The question is, how are potato chips manufactured on a factory-scale production?
Companies attain special potatoes from farmers to produce potato chips with high starch and low sugar levels for starters. Additionally, these potatoes are also generally longer and medium-sized for making the cutting process more manageable. Meanwhile, fresh potatoes are also tested for quality assurance by the manufacturer. The potatoes are kept in a controlled temperature environment, usually, around 40-45°F, when stored.
Once the potatoes are cut into paper-thin slices, they're taken to the frying process. Manufacturers may use specific vegetable oil, e.g., corn oil or a mixture of oils to fry the potatoes. Once the potatoes are fried at 350-375°F and turn a golden-brown color, an antioxidant is added. Lastly, the potato chips are seasoned with flavorings such as salt and pepper, sour cream, barbeque flavor, etc. The only step left is to package the potato chips and deliver them to stores around the globe.
The Relation Between Potatoes and Gluten
The potato itself is a vegetable with zero gluten tendencies. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley. On the other hand, packaged potato chips are a whole different dimension. The general assumption is that processed food is bound to have gluten hiding in it in one form or another.
However, looking at plain potato chips that do not contain any over-the-top flavors are gluten-free. Some companies have recently started going through the extra mile to label their potato chips as gluten-free. However, with processed food, there is always a grey area you need to avoid. The following are when potato chips might have gluten and hence should be avoided on a gluten-free diet.
Wheat Starch-
Wheat starch is a form of starch obtained from wheat grains. Potato chips need to be high in starch to retain the lightness and crispness of the final product. While dehydrated starch from the potatoes themselves is commonly used for this process, some manufacturers might use wheat starch. You always need to check for wheat starch or any other ingredients with wheat in the potato chips. Even major companies such as Pringles uses wheat starch in their potato chips.
Malt Vinegar-
Made out of barley, the vinegar is made from malt vinegar is a type of vinegar that is made with barley. It is added to packaged potato chips as a flavoring. Since barley is a gluten-containing grain, malt vinegar has gluten in it as well. Even if the potato chips don't contain wheat, those with malt vinegar must be avoided on a gluten-free diet too. Potato chips such as Boulder do have malt vinegar for flavoring.
Cross Contamination-
Many potato chips have neither wheat starch nor malt vinegar but might still contain gluten. This is because large-scale production of potato chips might be produced on shared equipment with gluten-containing products. For this reason, potato chips free from gluten-containing ingredients still need to be checked for certified gluten-free labeling. This ensures that the potato chips are free from cross-contamination and safe for those following a gluten-free diet.
Gluten-Free Potato Chips
If you're exploring gluten-free snacks to add to your shelves, here are a few you can try. Don't limit yourself to grabbing plain potato chips without exciting flavors when these companies have you covered.
Frito-Lay-
An American food manufacturing company, Frito-Lay is a company that explicitly manufactures snacks such as corn chips and potato chips. Frito-Lay is one of the largest snack manufacturers on a global scale. For this reason, you might have seen their products such as Lays, Cheetos, etc. on the store shelves for years.
The company has recently started labeling a variety of their Lays potato chips as gluten-free. These include Classic, Salt and Vinegar, Pizza, Hot n Spicy BBQ flavored, and many more. On the other hand, some products do not have GF labeling. While these don't contain gluten-containing ingredients either, they're at risk of cross-contamination.
Kettle Brand-
Moreover, Kettle has secured its position as one of the largest potato chip manufacturers in the US. Kettle states that all their potato chips are free from any flavorings and additives that contain gluten.
Simultaneously, Kettle has also attributed an entire range of 12 potato chips that are labeled gluten-free. If you're tired of eating plain potato chips on your gluten-free diet, Kettle has you covered. You can go for flavors such as Bourbon BBQ, Chile Verde, Wasabi Ranch, Pepperoncini, Sea Salt, Dill Pickle, etc.
Terra-
Terra has been around for two decades providing nutritious snacks in the US. One of Terra chips' significant advantages is that all their products are gluten-free, abiding by the FDA's standards. Additionally, Terra doesn't just focus on making regular potato chips but ones packed with nutritious value.
You can find a wide variety in this brand, including regular potato chips, sweet potato chips, and vegetable chips. You'll also be getting tons of options in the flavor department, as well as chips that come in exciting colors.
What You Need To Know About Gluten In Chips
Potato chips are at a risk of containing gluten if they're not labeled as gluten-free. You need to ensure the potato chips you buy are gluten-free, especially if you suffer from celiac or gluten sensitivities. We have compiled a few tips from the experts for your next shopping trip for snacks on a gluten-free diet.
Check the Ingredients-
If you still want to go for your old favorites, you need to start looking at the labels. You can determine gluten-containing ingredients from the labeling. Although, you'll have to check for wheat, rye, or barley products in the additives and flavorings as well. However, the potato chips might still be at risk of cross-contamination if they aren't labeled gluten-free. Additionally, if you're new to label-checking, you can contact the manufacturer to have your queries answered.
Gluten-Free Labeling-
Shifting to a gluten-free diet means any items labeled gluten-free are your new best friend. Not only does the GF labeling ensure no gluten-containing ingredients, but also no cross-contamination. This is especially beneficial if even a small amount of gluten can trigger your symptoms. Hence, search for potato chips with GF labeling, and you'll quickly find many options if you're looking the right way!
Nothing Better than Homemade-
If you're ready to put in a little extra effort, nothing tastes better than homemade snacks! Making your potato chips lets you have the freedom to experiment with flavors of your choice. Plus, it's not that hard either, and you'll be done in minutes. On the plus side, homemade potato chips take out the risk of gluten-contamination entirely since you're adding gluten-free ingredients in your kitchen.
Here's a recipe to try at home making homemade potato chips that are crispy as ever!
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 1-quart oil for deep frying
Directions
- Peel and thinly slice your potatoes. Continue putting them in a bowl of cold water. Drain the water and rinse your potato slices. You need to refill the bowl with cold water and add salt to it. Let the potatoes soak for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse afterward once again.
- Grab a deep-fryer and heat it to 365°F/185°C. Start frying the slices in small batches without overloading the fryer. Once the cuts start turning golden-brown, remove them on paper towels to drain the oil—season with salt, spices, or sauces of your choice.
Conclusion
Giving up good old classic snack of chips on a gluten-free diet is a must. Checking the labels and always keeping a safe distance from those that are gluten-contaminated, and you're good to go! So go ahead and grab gluten-free potato chips to snack on the next time you're shopping for groceries.
I would like you to remember that just because a food is labeled as “gluten-free” does not make it a healthy choice. An occasional snack of eating chips may be ok, but eating something like fruit, nuts, or veggies is always a healthier choice.
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