Pringles Original Crisps, 40g

The 40g tube is Pringles Original in a size for one: a short tube of the plain, saddle shaped Pringles crisp that fits in a coat pocket, a lunchbox or a glovebox. The full product name on the pack is simply Savoury Snack.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the crisps are made from dehydrated potatoes, sunflower oil, wheat flour, corn flour, rice flour, maltodextrin, an emulsifier (E471), salt and a colour, annatto norbixin. There is no seasoning blend, no milk ingredient and no flavour enhancer. The pack says the crisps are suitable for vegans.

How a Pringle is made

Pringles are formed rather than sliced. The dehydrated potato and the three flours are made into a dough, which is pressed into the same curved saddle shape every time. The emulsifier helps the oil and dough combine evenly, and maltodextrin, a mild starch powder, helps with the texture. Every crisp comes out the same thickness, with the same even, crumbly snap, and the shape lets them stack neatly in the tube.

Why the small tube has more salt than the big one

The salt on this tube is listed as plain salt, and the label gives 1g of salt per 100g. The 165g tube of Pringles Original we stock lists reduced sodium sea salt instead, and its label gives 0.62g per 100g. So the two sizes are not the same recipe: the large tube is the lower salt way to buy the flavour, and this small tube is the convenient one.

What the tube adds up to

Per 100g, the label gives 530 kcal (2214 kJ), 31g of fat, 3g of saturates, 55g of carbohydrate, 0.9g of sugars, 3.5g of fibre, 6.1g of protein and 1g of salt. Worked out for the 40g tube, that is about 212 kcal, 12.4g of fat, 1.2g of saturates, 0.4g of sugars and 0.4g of salt. Against an average adult's reference intake, the tube is about 11% of the day's energy, 18% of the fat and 7% of the salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 31g is red, above the 17.5g line. Saturates at 3g are amber. Sugars at 0.9g are green, since nothing sweet is added. Salt at 1g is amber, in the middle of its band.

Allergens and diet

The published ingredients highlight cereals containing gluten, from the wheat flour. The allergy advice says the crisps may contain milk and soya. The pack says they are suitable for vegans, which covers vegetarians too. They are not suitable for anyone avoiding gluten, and anyone with a serious milk allergy should note the may contain advice. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

A tube rather than a bag

A small tube does something a bag cannot: it keeps the crisps from being crushed. That makes it a useful single serving for a lunchbox, a handbag or a long car journey, where a bag of thin crisps can end up as crumbs. The label says the tube is packaged in a protective atmosphere, which keeps oxygen away from the oil until it is opened, and the lid goes back on if you do not finish it.

The tube and its recycling

The published recycling guidance says the lid can be recycled and the seal should not be. The label points to the base of the tube for the best before date, gives the origin as produce of the EU, and names Kellogg Marketing and Sales Company (UK) Limited, at MediaCityUK in Salford, as the distributor.

One oil

This tube lists a single oil, sunflower. The 165g tube of Pringles Original lists sunflower and rapeseed oils. Both are light, neutral oils, so the plain crisp tastes mostly of the potato dough and the salt, and the saturates stay at 3g per 100g, amber on the front of pack scale.

The emulsifier

E471 is the code for mono and diglycerides of fatty acids, an emulsifier made from fats. In a Pringles dough it helps the oil and the potato and flour mix combine evenly, which is part of why every crisp has the same texture from edge to edge.

When to reach for it

A plain Pringle goes with anything: a sandwich, a bowl of soup, a salad or a cold drink. It is the tube to pack for someone who dislikes strong flavours, and a good travel snack because the tube protects the crisps and the lid keeps them fresh between stops.

In the kitchen

Plain Pringles are the easiest crisp to use as a neat, even base. Top a few with a dab of soft cheese and a slice of cucumber, or crush a handful over a bowl of tomato soup for a plain, salty crunch.

Other sizes and flavours

For sharing, Pringles Original comes in a 165g tube with reduced sodium sea salt. In the same 40g size we stock Pringles Sour Cream and Onion. In the 165g tube there are also Cheese and Onion, Salt and Vinegar, Paprika, Smokey Bacon, Texas BBQ Sauce and Prawn Cocktail.

Storage

Store the tube in a cool, dry place, and press the lid on firmly if any is left.

Sizes of Pringles Original Crisps we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

The tasting notes on this page are our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description.