Random Question about Imported Potato Chips

bonezAU on 30/09/2015 - 15:09
Last edited 30/09/2015 - 15:10

I've been buying a few different types of potato chips/snacks over the years from Asian grocers, a lot of them are from Thailand/Malaysia/Indonesia/Philippines. I just like trying all the weird and wonderful flavours. Some of them have gone straight in the bin after tasting, other's have been awesome and have been repurchased.

Super important question coming up!! I need to know the reason behind why the bags are so heavy duty compared to the chips we sell here in Australia? Eg. a Malaysian packet of twisties vs an Australian packet of twisties, I swear the packaging is twice as thick and 10 times harder to open.

Is it something to do with the weather in those more humid countries? Or is the packaging in Australia just like that because it's cheaper and more environmentally friendly? I've tried searching but haven't found much other than some companies using thicker packaging to prevent the bags popping at high altitudes during truck transport.

Anyone know the reason behind this? It's not just 'export' bags that are like this, even on holidays to SEA I have noticed the bags are exactly the same.

Food & Grocery

Comments

  • ESEMCE on 30/09/2015 - 15:21

    Almost definitely because of increased humidity in Tropical Asia.
    Thicker packaging is more moisture resistant and therefore chips stay crisp and fresh for longer.
    If you put chips in the thin Australian packaging, they'd probably go soggy within a few months.
    The only area (with sufficient population to be affected) that might get humid enough to be a problem in Australia would in Darwin, so it's probably just cheaper to write off any affected stock assuming it get wet enough to be a problem there.

    • Diji1 on 30/09/2015 - 17:14
      -1

      Complete rubbish.

      Moisture does not permeate the walls of Australian potato crisp packets.

      • Google Chrome on 30/09/2015 - 19:36
        +2

        Cheaper material is used for the asian packets- studier but harder to breakdown and reuse.

      • ESEMCE on 30/09/2015 - 21:12

        The packaging might be complete rubbish when you've finished eating the chips..
        But Plastic Packaging is most definitely permeable to moisture.
        I don't claim to be an expert in plastic packaging, but after 15 years employment in the food industry and another 5 in the packaging industry, I'd say my knowledge is above average.
        This industry article also disagrees with you.
        http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijps/2012/302029/

        The comparatively low humidity level in Australia most likely allows our packaging material to be thinner and yet retain the same shelf life as the packaging used in Asia.
        I'm not saying that if you packed a pack of Australian chips for your 2 week holiday to Thailand and opened them on your last day that you'd need to drink them, but I am saying that if you left them there for 6 months, they might not be as crisp as another pack left here in Oz.

  • chumlee on 30/09/2015 - 17:26
    +1

    Packs are thinner in Australia as the gobbledok finds them harder to open - his hands slip off the pack

  • ilikeradiohead on 01/10/2015 - 13:28

    I've noticed this with beer that's been imported from Asia, the bottles are way heavier. Probably not the same reason though haha. Hainan beer and Beer Saigon have bulky heavy bottles. It is a great disappointment when you go to finish off your beer only to find that it's already gone :'(

    • ESEMCE on 01/10/2015 - 13:52
      +1

      crappy roads to transport on perhaps (outside the cities)?
      Crappy roads = more breakage in transit and therefore cost effective to have a stronger bottle that can take the punishment.

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