Inside the Factory Season 7 Episode 5 Tortilla Chips

Inside the Factory is a documentary series that explores various industries and the process of manufacturing products on a large scale. In season 7, episode 5, titled "Tortilla Chips," the show takes a closer look at how tortilla chips, a favorite snack of many people around the world, are made.

The episode starts with a visit to a large-scale tortilla factory in Mexico, where the hosts Greg Wallace and Cherry Healey get a first-hand look at how tortillas are made before they are cut into the triangular shape of chips. They learn that the process starts with the milling of corn kernels, which are then mixed with water and cooked to make a masa dough. The dough is then pressed into thin sheets, which are cut into circles using a machine.

The hosts then visit a tortilla chip factory in the UK, where they observe the transformation of the circular tortillas into the crunchy, triangular chips that we all know and love. They learn that the chips are deep-fried in vegetable oil for a few seconds to give them their characteristic crispy texture, before being seasoned with flavorings such as chili, lime, or cheese.

In the second part of the episode, the hosts explore the psychology of snacking and why people love to snack on chips. They visit a food lab to investigate how different types of chips affect our emotions and taste buds. They discover that snack foods like chips and crisps are designed to be addictive and that the crunchiness of chips is what makes them so satisfying to eat.

The hosts also meet with psychologist Professor Charles Spence to learn about the science of snacking. They participate in a taste test experiment where they compare the taste of plain tortilla chips to flavored ones, and learn that our sense of taste is influenced by a variety of factors, including the sound of the chips biting into our teeth.

Overall, "Tortilla Chips" is an interesting and informative episode that offers a behind-the-scenes look at an industry that many of us take for granted. It showcases the various stages involved in producing one of the most popular snack foods in the world, and delves into the psychology behind why we love to snack on chips. The episode also highlights the importance of understanding the science of taste and how it affects our snacking habits.