Nik Naks Twisters Nice 'n' Spicy Snacks, 130g

Twisters are Nik Naks in a new shape: corn snacks twisted into spirals, in place of the brand's knobbly sticks. This is the Nice 'n' Spicy flavour in the 130g sharing bag, which the label says holds four to five servings. The full product name on the pack is Nice 'n' Spicy flavour corn snack, and the pack gives a freepost address for KP Snacks.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the snacks are made from corn flour, sunflower oil, a Nice 'n' Spicy flavour, potato starch, rice flour, sugar, salt and ground turmeric. The flavour lists natural flavouring (containing garlic), sugar, rice flour, citric acid, maltodextrin, dried yeast extract, salt, potassium chloride, dried onion, ground cayenne pepper, ground spices (cardamom, clove, fenugreek, ginger, mace, black pepper, nutmeg, cumin, fennel and cinnamon), ground turmeric, ground allspice and ground coriander seed.

A different recipe from the classic

Twisters Nice 'n' Spicy is not the classic Nik Naks recipe in a new shape. The classic sticks take their tang from barley malt vinegar and their depth from soya sauce; the Twisters seasoning names its spices one by one, with citric acid for the tang, and has no barley, wheat or soya on the list.

The spices

The list reads like a curry blend: cumin, coriander seed, fenugreek and turmeric for the curry base, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace and allspice for warm sweetness, fennel for an aniseed note, and ginger, black pepper and cayenne for heat.

How hot is it

Ground cayenne pepper is the only chilli, with black pepper and ginger beside it. Expect a warm, building spice rather than a burn.

The twist

The pack invites you to give these a whirl: each piece is a twisted spiral, with ridges that hold the seasoning. The base is corn flour with potato starch and rice flour, so the texture is lighter than a classic knobbly Nik Nak.

The colour

Ground turmeric appears twice, in the base and in the seasoning, and gives the orange yellow colour. The pack says there are no artificial colours or flavours.

No MSG

The pack says no MSG, and none is on the list. Dried yeast extract is naturally rich in glutamates, worth knowing for anyone who avoids them altogether.

Potassium chloride and the salt figure

Potassium chloride sits in the flavour beside salt. It tastes salty but contains no sodium, and the salt figure on a UK label is worked out from sodium. The label gives 1.9g of salt per 100g and 0.57g for a 30g serving.

Numbers per serving

The listing gives 158 kcal (661 kJ), 9.3g of fat, 0.8g of saturates, 16g of carbohydrate, 1.7g of sugars, 1.2g of fibre, 1.5g of protein and 0.57g of salt for each 30g serving. That is about 8% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake, 13% of the fat and 10% of the salt. Per 100g it is 528 kcal (2202 kJ), 31g of fat, 2.7g of saturates, 53g of carbohydrate, 5.6g of sugars, 3.9g of fibre, 5.1g of protein and 1.9g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 31g is red. Saturates at 2.7g are amber. Sugars at 5.6g are amber, just over the 5g line. Salt at 1.9g is red.

Allergens and diet

No allergens from the UK list of 14 are highlighted in the published ingredients. The allergy advice says the snacks may contain cereals containing gluten and soya. The pack says they are suitable for vegetarians; there is no vegan statement and no gluten free claim. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

Compared with the classic

Per 100g, the Twisters have 31g of fat and 528 kcal, against 36g and 566 kcal for the classic Nik Naks Nice 'n' Spicy, and 1.9g of salt against 1.8g.

Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil is the only oil on the list, and the label gives 2.7g of saturates per 100g.

The pack

The black bag carries a new flash and a great for sharing badge, with the Nik Naks name over the Twisters word and an orange swirl behind a pile of twisted pieces.

Who it suits

A warmly spiced corn snack suits a film night or a curry night. There is no gluten free claim, and the allergy advice says it may contain cereals containing gluten and soya.

Serving the bag

Tip a serving into a bowl beside poppadoms and a mango chutney, or a yoghurt and mint dip. It goes with a cold lager.

Four to five servings

The label says the 130g bag holds four to five servings of 30g. Tip a serving into a bowl rather than eating from the bag.

Storage and packaging

The pack advises a cool, dry place and, once opened, an airtight container. The published recycling guidance says the whole packaging can be recycled with carrier bags at large supermarkets and should not go in home recycling.

Other Nik Naks

We also stock Nik Naks Twisters Tangy 'n' Cheesy at 130g, and the classic knobbly Nik Naks in Nice 'n' Spicy at 130g and 45g and in six bag packs of Nice 'n' Spicy and Rib 'n' Saucy.

Other 130g packs of Nik Naks we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

The published listing gives the United Kingdom as the country of origin. The tasting notes on this page are our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description.