FAQ's

Why are there sometimes pink or purple marks on the Husman Pork Skins?

The marks that are occasionally on the Husman Pork Skins are actually USDA stamps used on the skins to mark that they have been inspected, and graded. We do our best to remove these stamp markings. These markings are in no way harmful.

Why do some varieties of chips seem whiter and have a more consistent color?

Some potato chip manufacturers wash their raw chip slices in hot water, approximately 180 degrees F. This method results in lighter color chips by removing some of the sugars. Since this treatment will leach any soluble material from the slices in addition to sugars, it usually results in some loss in flavor and increased oil absorption in the chip. For this reason we do not use this method when we make Husman chips.

What causes the brown chips?

The potato is the storage organ for nutrients manufactured by the potato plant. The reason some potatoes produce brown potato chips is due to the high sugar content in these potatoes. During growth, sugars are converted to starch. When a chipping potato is mature the sugar level of the potato is below 2%. After harvesting if the potato isn't stored or transported properly these starches can revert back to sugar. The secret to good chip color is that the chipping potatoes must be mature at harvest and not ruined from harvest to processing.

Where did potato chips originate?

The potato chip, or Saratoga Chip as it was first called, was invented in 1853 by Chef George Crum at Moon Lake House, Saratoga Springs, New York. Chef Crum was trying to please a demanding guest who was badgering him that his home fried potatoes were not sliced thin enough. Crum decided to show him and the other guests. So he sliced the next batch with a razor -- and thus the potato chip was born.

Where do you get your potatoes?

The potato or tuber is a storage organ that is developed from the swelling at the end of an underground stem. Potatoes that are harvested before they mature are often called "new potatoes" or "early potatoes." We chippers are always happy when the "new potatoes" crop comes in from Florida. "New potatoes" almost always are an appetizing soft golden color. These potatoes have a thin tender skin, which is easily rubbed off during harvesting and handling. They will discolor and wither rapidly at skinned places and are more susceptible to decay than mature potatoes. For this reason the early crops from Florida and North Carolina are not suitable for long storage and must be used right from the field. We start using potatoes from Florida in the early spring, then move to North Carolina in June, and then follow the growing season north. In July and August we'll find decent potatoes in Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois; these are considered field potatoes.

Some field potatoes are used September through March, but most storage potatoes (or "late crop") from Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North and South Dakota are used. These potatoes aren't harvested until the vines are mature or dying and the potato skin is firm and tough. These potatoes are not easily injured, and if free of serious diseases and stored under proper conditions, they will not change very much for three to six months.

Potato growers in the Red River Valley of North Dakota are the largest producers of "chipping potatoes" in the world. Most of our winter supply comes from this area.

How are potato chips made?

Potatoes are delivered to the Husman Snack Foods manufacturing plant by truck. When a shipment arrives a sample is taken and tested before unloading. The potatoes are tested for defects, cooking quality, and size before we unload them. If the potatoes meet Husman's standards they're unloaded and put into large wooden crates.

The first step in making potato chips is the destoner. The destoner cycles the potatoes through water to remove rocks and other external debris. Next the potatoes tumble through a peeler (abrasive rollers with water), to remove most of the peels. After the peeler the potatoes are inspected to ensure that adequate peel has been removed and that the potatoes are free of defects. We remove any unsatisfactory potatoes.

The potatoes then go to a slicer assembly that cuts them into chips of the required thickness. The chips then go through a washer where excess scrap and starch is removed. The slices are blown off to remove extra water and conveyed to the automatic fryer and uniformly cooked to a golden crispness. They spend 2 to 3 minutes in the fryer.

The chips are salted immediately at the outfeed of the fryer. The chips then go through an Optical-Sorter that can pick out and remove any defective chips. The individual seasonings are then applied to the chips and the chips are sent to the packaging machines where they are packaged by weight and put into cartons for shipping.