Eli5 how do chips become stale when exposed to air for a period of time but are still “ok” to eat, however other foods will spoil and are not safe?
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Chips are a pretty hostile environment for bacteria. They have been fried or baked until crisp, which both kills any bacteria that were living in the original materials and drives out any water that could play host to new bacteria. On top of this, they are typically coated in salt, which is the original food preservative because it is so effective at killing bacteria. Kept sealed in a cool, dry environment, they can go essentially forever without spoiling, but if exposed to moisture, the corn/potato will rehydrate and eventually become moldy.
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