Golden and crunchy, frozen French fries are a timeless classic that appeals to adults and children alike. Thanks to the convenience of preparation and the success of air fryers, they continue to be among the most purchased products in the freezer department. But behind apparently similar packages hide important differences regarding ingredients, quality of the oils used, nutritional values and final yield on the plate.
A new test by Altroconsumo compared 14 references between famous brands and large-scale retail branded products. Before finding out which ones were awarded, however, let’s see which chips achieved the worst results.
Last in the rankings
Closing the ranking is Pizzoli PataSnella Ultra Veloci 5 minutes in the oven, which obtains just 52 points out of 100, making it the product with the lowest rating of the entire test.
Selex Patatine da Forno ranks just above with 59 points, while Pam Patate da Forno stops at 68 points.
Products that do not reach the 70 point threshold also include Harvest Basket (Lidl) Oven Chips, with 69 points, and Delizie dal Sole (Eurospin) Oven Chips, which score 70 points.
Frozen chips continue to be among the most present products in the freezers of Italian families thanks to their convenience and speed of preparation, especially with the spread of air fryers. However, these are foods to be consumed in moderation: pre-fried versions are generally rich in calories and fat and cooking at high temperatures can encourage the formation of acrylamide, an unwanted substance that develops during the browning of starchy foods.
To understand which are the best options available on the market, Altroconsumo compared 14 references between well-known brands and large-scale retail branded products.
The complete ranking
Here are the results obtained from the products analyzed:
The surprise of the test comes from the top of the ranking: first place is not occupied by a historic brand in the sector, but by Esselunga Fried Potatoes, which with 79 points won the title of “Best of the test”. Also on the podium are McCain Forno Express and McCain Le Patatine Originali.
How the test was carried out
The investigation examined various aspects of the product. The experts first verified the information on the label, evaluating not only the presence of the mandatory indications but also additional elements such as the origin of the potatoes, the nutritional information per portion and the cooking instructions.
Laboratory analyzes instead measured the level of oxidation of the oils used, the presence of polar compounds deriving from the degradation of fats and the acrylamide content.
The nutritional composition was also evaluated through the Nutri-Score system, together with the presence of additives and the degree of food processing, penalizing the formulations considered more ultra-processed.
Finally, a decisive role was assigned to the taste test: over 60 consumers tasted the chips cooked in the oven according to the instructions on the packaging, judging their appearance, consistency, aroma and taste without knowing the product brand.
In the final score, tasting accounted for 40%, followed by laboratory analyzes (35%), evaluation of ingredients and nutritional composition (20%) and label analysis (5%).
The test shows how brand awareness and product quality do not always go hand in hand. Some of the best ratings were obtained by supermarket brand products, while several more well-known references stopped in the middle of the rankings or in the last positions.
Beyond the ranking, the comparison offers a useful starting point for choosing with greater awareness a very popular food but to be consumed occasionally. Paying attention to the ingredients, cooking methods and frequency of consumption can make the difference, without giving up the pleasure of a portion of crispy chips every now and then.
