Snack Business Tips: How to Effectively Reduce Oil in Chips, Crackers, and Various Fried Snacks

For SMEs in the snack food industry, product quality is a primary factor influencing consumer appeal. One of the common challenges faced in the production of snacks like chips, crackers, or fried nuts is excessive oil content.

Oil in snacks can create a greasy impression, make them less crispy, and even reduce the product’s shelf life. Additionally, leftover oil can cause a rancid smell and make the snack look dull inside its packaging. Achieving the perfect, non-greasy finish is crucial for customer satisfaction and brand reputation.

This time, Magfood will discuss the negative impacts of excess oil on snacks, effective ways to reduce it, and the use of a spinner machine as a highly useful solution for SMEs, a technique also practiced in the Magfood Various Snack Entrepreneurship Training.

Negative Impacts of Excess Oil Content in Snacks

Snacks that contain too much oil tend to have lower quality in terms of taste, appearance, and durability. Some of the negative impacts of high oil content in snacks are as follows:

Reduced Crispiness: Excess oil can make snacks feel wet or limp. A snack that isn’t perfectly crispy will leave consumers feeling less satisfied and detract from the crunchy texture that should be a major attraction.
Short Shelf Life: Excess oil in snacks tends to accelerate rancidity, a condition where the oil oxidizes, causing the snack to smell and taste off. This occurs due to exposure to oxygen, light, and high temperatures. Rancid snacks cannot last long on storage shelves, leading to spoilage and financial loss.
Dull and Unattractive Appearance: A large amount of residual oil can make snacks look greasy in their packaging. A wet-looking snack is often considered unappealing because it appears less fresh. The oil can also stain the packaging, making it look dirty and reducing the product’s overall aesthetic value.
Unpleasant Taste and Aroma: High oil content can impart an unpleasant taste and aroma, especially once the oil begins to turn rancid. Rancid snacks will have a bitter taste and a sour smell that is highly off-putting to consumers.

Causes and Process of Oil Rancidity

Rancidity occurs because the oil undergoes oxidation. In this process, fat molecules react with oxygen, changing the chemical structure of the oil and producing compounds with an unpleasant smell and taste. Here are some factors that accelerate rancidity:

Oxygen Exposure: Oxygen that enters the packaging or comes into direct contact with the snack will trigger oxidation.
Light Exposure: Light, especially sunlight, can break down fat molecules and speed up the process.
High Temperature: The higher the storage temperature, the faster oxidation occurs.

Managing rancidity is a major challenge for SMEs in ensuring their snack products remain fresh and crispy for as long as possible.

How to Reduce Oil Content in Snacks

To produce high-quality snacks, SMEs must implement several steps to minimize oil content. Here are some effective methods:

Using Tissues or Oil-Absorbing Paper
Immediately after frying, the first simple step is to drain the snacks on tissues or oil-absorbing paper. This helps absorb the surface oil and can significantly reduce the overall oil content.
Using a Spinner or Oil Draining Machine
For a more professional and efficient result, an oil spinner is an invaluable tool for SMEs. This machine works on the principle of centrifugal force to effectively remove oil from the product’s surface. Here’s a closer look at how it works.

Understanding the Spinner: An Effective Oil Draining Machine

A spinner is a machine typically made of food-grade stainless steel, specifically designed to de-oil snack products like crackers, chips, and nuts. This tool is a game-changer for SMEs because it dramatically improves product quality.

How a Spinner Works

Placing the Product in the Basket: Freshly fried snacks are placed into the spinner’s basket.
Turning on the Machine: Once turned on, the basket rotates at high speed.
Centrifugal Force: The spinning motion creates centrifugal force, which pushes the snacks against the basket’s walls while forcing the oil out through perforations.
Oil Collection: The separated oil is collected in a container below, ready for disposal or filtering.

Advantages of Using a Spinner

Effective Oil Removal: The process is fast and highly effective at removing excess oil.
Produces Dry and Crispy Snacks: With significantly less oil, snacks become drier, crispier, and more appealing.
Extends Shelf Life: By removing the primary cause of rancidity, the spinner helps your products stay fresh on the shelf for longer.
Improves Product Aesthetics: A non-greasy snack looks cleaner, fresher, and more professional in its packaging.

Tips for Using a Spinner for Optimal Results

Set the Right Speed: Adjust the rotation speed based on the fragility of your product. Delicate crackers may require a lower speed to prevent breakage.
Pay Attention to Draining Time: The spinning duration is also important. Over-spinning can make the product too dry and brittle.
Clean the Machine Regularly: Built-up oil can reduce efficiency, so regular cleaning is essential for consistent performance.

Additional Tips for Reducing Oil in Snacks

Double Frying: This technique involves frying at two different temperatures. The first, lower-temperature fry cooks the product and removes moisture, while the second, higher-temperature fry creates a crispy exterior and helps expel oil.
Choosing Quality Oil: Use a high-quality oil with a high smoke point, like palm oil, which is more stable and less likely to be absorbed by the food.
Proper Storage: After de-oiling, store your snacks in a cool, dry place inside airtight packaging to protect them from moisture and oxygen.

Removing excess oil is a crucial step for SMEs to maintain product quality and appeal. These measures not only extend shelf life but also boost your competitiveness in a crowded market.

Magfood: The Quality Seasoning Solution for Your Business

Perfecting your production process includes using high-quality ingredients. Magfood is a producer of seasoning powders, cooking spices, and premixes that is GMP (CPPOB) certified, has a BPOM distribution permit, is Halal certified, and holds an HACCP certificate. Through an expert research & development (R&D) division, Magfood develops innovative recipes with the latest flavors and trends, enabling SMEs to compete with multinational companies.

Advantages of Magfood Seasoning Powder for Chips and Various Snacks

Fully Certified: BPOM, HALAL MUI, GMP, and HACCP certifications provide a guarantee of safety and quality.
100% Made in Indonesia.
Healthier Options: Available in variants without flavor enhancers (non-MSG) and without preservatives.
Wide Variety: Over 100 ready-stock flavors, from savory classics like Barbeque and Roasted Corn to sweet options like Chocolate and Tiramisu.
Flexible Packaging: Available in 100g, 500g, 1kg, and 20kg sizes to suit any production scale.
Cost-Effective: Our formulation adheres easily to products, reducing waste and making usage more economical.

Custom Formulation and Private Label

Magfood food seasoning can be specially formulated (custom) and manufactured under your private label. This allows you to create products with a unique taste and price point tailored to your business, giving your brand a competitive advantage and aligning with your market positioning strategy.

Magfood Coaching Clinic: Mentorship for Your Food Business from Experienced Practitioners

Magfood offers a dedicated coaching clinic service designed to elevate your food business and products. Below are the terms and conditions.

A Coaching Clinic package consists of one consultation session with a Magfood expert. You may attend by yourself or with your team, either online or offline.
Each coaching session has a maximum duration of 90 minutes.
Each session will focus on one specific topic as mutually agreed upon.
The Coaching Clinic can commence 3 days after payment confirmation.
A minimum of 3 coaching sessions is required per business.
Contact us at 0855 8800 780 or 0811 1397 161.