Who doesn't know this: You sit in front of the TV, open a bag of potato chips and shortly afterwards you have devoured the whole pack. Potato chips are addicting. This is due to the tempting combination of fat and carbohydrates. It takes a lot of self-control to put down the bag of chips halfway through.

A case for Stiftung Warentest to get to the bottom of the crispy potato slices. Just how good are potato chips? The result is not only appetizing: of 25 potato and stacked chips as well as potato snacks that were examined, many have high levels of pollutants and some fail in terms of taste. In the end, eight products perform well, six are satisfactory, six are sufficient and five are unsatisfactory. Among the test losers are only branded and organic chips: including Pringles.

The world-renowned Pringles flop because they are very high in the petroleum hydrocarbon mosh, which can cause organ damage, as well as glycidol, a harmful fat conversion product. For every second product in the test, there is a pollutant rating of sufficient or insufficient. The reasons for this are different. For example, acrylamide is found in the products. When potatoes brown while frying or baking, acrylamide is produced, which can alter the genetic makeup and potentially cause cancer. In addition, all the chips in the test also contain plant toxins from the potato, the glycoalkaloids. If you consume too much of it, namely more than 0.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, you risk acute gastrointestinal problems.

The chips from Kruse Kerle are tempting for the testers. They taste aromatic, are seasoned in a variety of ways and are crispy. In addition, they have the lowest fat and salt content of all products in the test. They cost 1.73 euros per 100 grams. The Pom-Bears (1.99 euros) cut a good figure when it comes to potato snacks, while those from Edeka are good at stacking chips

You can read the whole test here for a fee!