The new snack craze popping its way into store aisles is a snack that’s not baked or fried but ‘popped.’ And it’s not the popping that consumers are accustomed to when it comes to popping corn kernels.

Several sightings of unusually processed snacks at the Sweets & Snacks Expo, May 24-26 in
Chicago, included air-processed versions. Two from Simply 7 Snacks’ are hummus and lentil chips, which are all-natural chips based on ethnic foods that aren’t fried or baked. They feature scoop and shell shapes that can handle hummus dips easily without falling apart.

Popchips, another product example that’s not baked or fried, is made from potatoes processed into tiny pellets or kernel-sized pieces. The pellets are mixed in a hopper and then portioned out into molds, where the pellets receive a few seconds of combined heat and pressure and then they “pop.” Downstream on the production line, they get a little bit of oil added.  

Made of corn, Popcorners are also popped rather than being baked or fried. They come in triangle shapes and are available in grocery stores. Another fun-to-eat popped, healthy snack is Mini Pops, which use the same technology as popping corn, though they start out as tiny grains of sorghum, which after being air-popped, produce tiny popped kernels similar to tiny air-popped popcorn.

Source: www.projo.com, Sweets & Snacks Expo