Walkers Max Punchy Paprika Crisps, 6 x 27g

This is Walkers Max Punchy Paprika as a six bag multipack: 27g bags of the deep ridged crisps, 162g in all. 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, smoky, not hot

Paprika is made from dried, ground sweet peppers, so it is warm and sweet rather than hot. Sugar leads the seasoning, tomato, onion and garlic give a barbecue sauce base, and smoked maltodextrin and smoked sunflower oil bring the smoke. Citric and malic acid add a fruity tang.

Deep ridges in a small bag

Max crisps are cut with deep ridges, so each slice is thicker and stiffer than a classic crisp. In a small bag that means a sturdy crisp that survives a lunchbox, with plenty of seasoning in the grooves.

Numbers for one bag

The pack's nutrition panel gives 137 kcal (573 kJ), 7.8g of fat, 0.6g of saturates, 14g of carbohydrate, 0.8g of sugars, 1.3g of fibre, 1.7g of protein and 0.17g of salt for each 27g bag, which it puts at 7% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake, 11% 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.

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 pack gives 0.65g of salt per 100g and 0.17g for each bag.

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.

Antioxidants

Rosemary extract, ascorbic acid, which is vitamin C, and a tocopherol rich extract, a source of vitamin E, protect the oil from going stale rather than adding flavour.

Why a 27g bag

A 27g bag sits between a standard 25g lunchbox bag and the 50g grab bag: enough for a proper portion of thick crisps without opening a sharing bag.

Allergens and diet

No allergens from the UK list of 14 are highlighted in the 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. 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, so the bags suit anyone who wants a bold flavour without heat, including children who find chilli too much.

Six bags for the week

Six bags cover a working or school week with one to spare, each 27g bag a single serving. They pair with a cheese, chicken or ham sandwich.

Compared with the other sizes

The 27g bags carry the same recipe as the 140g sharing bag and the 50g bag of Walkers Max Punchy Paprika. A 27g bag gives 137 kcal and 0.17g of salt, against 254 kcal and 0.32g of salt for the 50g bag.

Serving ideas

A small bag goes with a chicken wrap, a cheese and pickle sandwich or a bowl of tomato soup, and it suits a picnic or a packed lunch on a day out.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the crisps make a sweet, smoky crumb for chicken strips or fish goujons, or a topping for a cauliflower cheese.

Storage

The pack advises a cool, dry place. Keep the bags in the outer bag until needed and finish each one once opened.

Other flavours

In the same six bag format we stock Walkers Max Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak, and in 140g bags there are Walkers Max Strong Jalapeño and Cheese, Sizzling Flame Grilled Steak, KFC Original Chicken and Punchy Paprika.

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.