Cooking may not be rocket science, but there is a lot of mathematics and chemistry involved in the world of food. Examples are all around us, with something as simple as the curved shape of chips. Have you ever wondered why chips are not flat but curved in shape? In a recent Instagram video, digital creator 'flickthrough.in' explains the science behind the curved shape of the popular snack Pringles. The double-curved shape is not just for aesthetic purposes, rather it plays an important role in making the chips sturdy so that they do not break, as well as making them crunchier. Watch the full video here:
The video explains how earlier potato chips would get easily broken, which inspired Pringles to come up with this unique shape. "In the 1950s, potato chips were getting a lot of complaints from customers. It was getting broken and there was too much air in the packet. Seeing an opportunity, PnG asked scientist Fred Baur to find a solution. With his expertise in chemistry and math, he got to work and invented potato chips in the shape of a hyperbolic paraboloid."
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Benefits Of The Double Curve Or Hyperbolic Paraboloid Shape:
This shape helps to make the chips sturdier than before so that they can be easily transported without breaking. The saddle shape also helps in stacking lots of chips on top of one another.
If you eat Pringle chips, you will notice that it does not break symmetrically. Instead, there are cracks in different directions, which causes the chips to break into flakes of various shapes. This also increases the crunch, every time you bite into each chip.
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As per reports, Pringles chips are also not made only from potatoes. They are made from a dough of rice, wheat, corn and potato flakes. This dough is then cut into ultra-thin chips, which can fly off the conveyor belt after being fried due to their light weight. However, the saddle shape also helps to prevent this problem. "This shape was aerodynamic, like a Formula 1 car, so that it doesn't fly off the production belt," the video explains.
Lastly, the paraboloid shape allowed the chips to be stacked, which helped to pack them in a long cylindrical tube, which was also invented by Dr Fred Baur. This form of packaging minimizes breakage during shipping and also requires less shelf space.