Legend has it that in 1853, a customer dining at a restaurant in Saratoga Springs, New York, complained that the fries he’d ordered were too thick. That annoyed George Crum, the restaurant’s chef. So Crum cut the next batch of potatoes into extremely thin slices, fried them until they were crisp, and sent them out to the customer. It was meant to be a joke, but the customer loved Crum’s creation. Soon, people were clamoring to try Crum’s “potato chips.”
Potato chips remain a popular snack because of their delicious combo of salt, fat, and crunch. Our bodies are hardwired to like sodium chloride (NaCl), or salt, because our muscles and nerves require this mineral to function. When we eat salty food, like chips, our brains release a feel-good chemical called dopamine, which triggers us to crave more. Our brains respond in a similar way to foods high in fat, which the body needs for energy. Crunchy foods also have this effect—possibly because crunchiness signals that a food is fresher or more nourishing than one that’s soft or soggy.
Chemistry is required to create chips’ mouthwatering flavor and texture. When potato slices are dropped into hot oil, they turn golden brown. “We call this browning process the Maillard reaction,” says Christopher Hendon, a chemist at the University of Oregon. This reaction occurs between starch—sugar stored in plant tissues—and proteins when foods are cooked. “It creates a variety of complex flavors,” says Hendon. So the next time you munch a potato chip, remember all the science that goes into making this treat tasty.