Are potato chip expansion bags spoiled?

Potato chips with a variety of flavors are a snack
that many adults can't refuse.
Do you buy potato chips to buy the kind of bag that is bulging and "very full", or do you buy a more shriveled and airless one? Some people feel that food bulging bags are likely to have gone bad
.
So, is the potato chip expansion bag really spoiled?

Wu Xiaomeng, associate professor at the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering of China Agricultural University, said in an interview with China Consumer News that the bulging bag of potato chips does not mean that the potato chips have deteriorated, but because the bag is full of nitrogen that plays a "protective" role
.
Those shriveled and leaky bagged potato chips are likely to have changed
in taste and quality.
Therefore, to buy potato chips, you should choose the
bag bulging.

Wu Xiaomeng further explained that this bulging-looking packaging of potato chips is called "modified atmosphere packaging"
.
A common "modified atmosphere packaging" process is to extract the air (mainly oxygen) from the bag and then inject nitrogen
.
This is because the oxygen and moisture in the air will accelerate the decay of potato chips, and after pumping oxygen and filling it with nitrogen, it can effectively inhibit the oxidation of potato chips and the reproduction of microorganisms, and can also resist the invasion of external moisture, maintaining the crispy taste and freshness
of potato chips.

At the same time, "modified atmosphere packaging" can also ensure that there is enough space in the bag to "protect" the potato chips, and act as a buffer when the potato chips are subjected to external forces, so as to prevent the potato chips from being crushed and crushed during transportation after leaving the factory or when customers pick them
.
This is the same principle
as when packaging fragile items, usually put inflatable plastic bags for protection.

Many people worry that potato chips are "contaminated" with nitrogen and unsafe
.
This concern is actually a misunderstanding
.

Wu Xiaomeng said that the nitrogen filled in potato chips is food-grade nitrogen, and food-grade nitrogen is used as a legal food processing aid, with a purity of more than
99.
0%.
At the same time, nitrogen itself is also one of the main components of air, generally accounting for 78%
of the total air.
Typically, nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, and non-toxic gas
.
Nitrogen is chemically inert and does not react
with potato chips.
Therefore, consumers do not have to worry about food safety
.

In addition to potato chips, beer, juice, bottled water, biscuits, cakes, milk powder, coffee, etc.
, also often use food-grade nitrogen as a processing aid
.
Food-grade nitrogen is also commonly used to fill barns so that grains do not mold, germinate, and can be stored for a long time
.

It is necessary to remind consumers that after the potato chips are unpacked, the nitrogen inside will "run" out, and the oxygen will "take advantage of the void"
.
Therefore, potato chips should be eaten as soon as possible after unpacking to avoid oxidation and deterioration, such as not finished eating for a while
, the mouth of the bag needs to be sealed.
(Edited by Li Chuang)