Walkers Max Punchy Paprika Crisps, 140g

Walkers Max is Walkers' deep ridged range, and Punchy Paprika is its sweet, smoky flavour: paprika, tomato and smoke on thick, ridged crisps. This is the 140g sharing bag, which the label suggests serves four to five. The full product name on the pack is Paprika Flavour Ridged Potato Crisps, and the pack names Walkers Snack Foods Ltd as the maker.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, which matches the ingredients panel on the pack, the crisps are made from potatoes, vegetable oils (sunflower and rapeseed, in varying proportions), a punchy paprika seasoning (sugar, paprika powder, dextrose, flavouring, salt, dried onion, potassium chloride, citric and malic acid, dried tomato, dried garlic, hydrolysed vegetable protein, smoked maltodextrin, smoked sunflower oil and paprika extract for colour), and antioxidants (rosemary extract, ascorbic acid, tocopherol rich extract and citric acid).

Sweet paprika, not hot

Paprika is made from dried, ground sweet peppers, and it is sweet and warm rather than hot. Sugar leads the seasoning and dextrose follows the paprika, so the first taste is sweet, like a barbecue sauce; dried tomato, onion and garlic give the savoury base.

Where the smoke comes from

Two smoked ingredients carry the smoke: smoked maltodextrin, a mild starch powder exposed to wood smoke, and smoked sunflower oil. Together they give a barbecue edge without any smoked meat.

The tang

Citric acid, the acid of lemons, and malic acid, the acid of apples, give a fruity tang that stops the sweetness from cloying, much as vinegar does in a barbecue sauce.

Hydrolysed vegetable protein

Hydrolysed vegetable protein is made by breaking down a plant protein into smaller pieces, which gives a savoury depth. The list does not name the plant, and no allergen is highlighted in the ingredients.

Potassium chloride and the salt figure

Potassium chloride sits beside salt in the seasoning. It tastes salty but contains no sodium, and the salt figure on a UK label is worked out from sodium. The label gives 0.65g of salt per 100g, the lowest of the Walkers Max bags we stock.

Deep ridges

Max crisps are cut with deep ridges, which makes each slice thicker and stiffer than a classic crisp. The ridges hold more of the paprika seasoning and give a heavier, more pronounced crunch.

Numbers per serving

The pack's nutrition panel gives 152 kcal (636 kJ), 8.6g of fat, 0.7g of saturates, 16g of carbohydrate, 0.9g of sugars, 1.4g of fibre, 1.9g of protein and 0.19g of salt for each 30g serving, which it puts at 8% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake, 12% of the fat and 3% of the salt. Per 100g it is 508 kcal (2121 kJ), 29g of fat, 2.2g of saturates, 54g of carbohydrate, 3.1g of sugars, 4.7g of fibre, 6.2g of protein and 0.65g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 29g is red, as it is for fried crisps generally. Saturates at 2.2g are amber. Sugars at 3.1g are green. Salt at 0.65g is amber, towards the low end of its band.

Allergens and diet

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

What the pack leaves out

The pack says there are no artificial colours and no added MSG; the colour is paprika extract, from peppers. The antioxidants, rosemary extract, ascorbic acid and a tocopherol rich extract, protect the oil from going stale.

How hot is it

There is no chilli on the list. Punchy here means a bold, sweet and smoky flavour, not heat, so it suits anyone who avoids chilli.

A sharing bag

At 140g, the bag suggests four to five servings of 30g. Tip it into a bowl rather than eating from the bag, so the portion is easier to judge. Once opened, the pack says to eat the crisps within three days.

Serving the bag

Paprika crisps suit a barbecue, a tapas style spread or a film night. Serve them with a cold lager, grilled chicken, halloumi or a smoky tomato salsa.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the crisps make a sweet, smoky crumb for chicken thighs or cod fillets, pressed onto the top and baked. A handful over a bowl of tomato soup adds crunch and smoke.

Storage

The pack advises a cool, dry place and, once opened, eating the crisps within three days. The bag is packaged in a protective atmosphere, which keeps oxygen away from the oil until you open it.

Other sizes and flavours

The same recipe comes in a 50g single bag and a six bag pack of 27g bags, which we also stock. In the 140g bag there are Walkers Max Strong Jalapeño and Cheese, Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak and KFC Original Chicken.

Sizes of Walkers Max Punchy Paprika Crisps 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.