Aussies who have complained about the changing flavour of some of their favourite chips over recent years have been told it boils down to an oil change.
Smith’s Snackfood Company, owned by PepsiCo and the manufacturer of some of the nation’s favourite snacks, announced the switch to Australian canola oil back in 2019.
Doritos, Tostitos Cantina tortilla chips, Twisties, Burger Rings and Cheetos were all affected by the switch, which Smith’s said had “significantly reduc(ed) the saturated fat content” of the snacks by up to 86 per cent.
This comes after the beloved snack Tasty Toobs came under fire last year for shrinking to “half the size”.
Facebook users also discussed whether the Toobs flavour had changed, with one woman comparing it to tomato sauce.
“They just lack the flavour they once had,” another said, while similar complaints were also made about Twisties.
One disgruntled Aussie took to Reddit earlier this year to complain about the apparent “change in formulation” of Tasty Toobs.
“Or (is it a) bad batch?” they put to the platform’s users.
“The new ones seem to taste slightly different too, both my wife and I think so … they are still good though but slightly different from what they were years ago,” one person wrote.
“The last few packs I’ve had I feel like they’re almost thinner, like they’re not as puffy?” said another.
Some Reddit users pointed out that there were two factories that made Tasty Toobs, one in Poland and one in Australia.
“The ones made in Australia have a better texture and taste,” one person said.
“It will state on the rear bottom left of the pack where they are manufactured.”
“We are looking to move to 100 per cent Australian-made Toobs by the end of the year,” a Smith’s spokesperson told NCA NewsWire.
Cheezels and Burger Rings were also pulled up by Kiwis in recent years for being increasingly “stale” and “brittle”.
Speculation had swirled that a “lower quality” of cheese was behind the shift, though the company pointed to its switch to a different type of oil.
PepsiCo ANZ chief executive Danny Celoni said the company had widely adopted the use of Australian canola oil to help it reach its health goals.
“Smith’s chips made the shift to Australian canola oil in 2018, and we are proud to have now rolled out this change to more of our great snack brands like Doritos and Twisties,” he said in a statement.
“We know that consumer needs and preferences are changing, and Australians are more concerned about their health and wellness than ever before.”
The switch means the saturated fat content in more than 90 per cent of the company’s Australian snack portfolio be no more than 1.1 grams per 100 calories.
“We have been making changes to our portfolio, products and packaging to ensure we can meet our consumers’ needs,” Mr Celoni said.
“The team has been working to reduce the added sugars, saturated fat and sodium in our food and beverages.
“The switch to Australian canola oil is also great news for Aussie farmers.”
Mr Celoni said the company sourced about 14,000 tonnes of canola oil from farms in NSW and Victoria.