FDA debunks old myth about frying plantain chips with 'olonka' bags

There is a perception that a popular Ghanaian street food/delicacy, plantain chips is fried by putting polythene bags locally known as “olonka rubbers” in the oil to achieve their crispy nature.

Plantain chips are a snack made from fresh ripe or unripe plantain that is sliced in very flat sizes and fried till they are crispy.

This myth about how they are fried with polythene has been an old myth that keeps resurfacing.

It is often sold on the streets of Accra and despite the concept being widely spread Ghanaians still enjoy the snack.

The Food and Drugs Authority has released an experiment to show that it is indeed only a myth and has no practical or scientific truth.

“The myth about frying plantain chips with plastic 'Olonka' bags to make the chips crispy and hard, seems to have resurfaced on social media.

“#FDAGhana, share with you a practical experiment conducted on this at its Centre for Laboratory Services and Research (Food laboratory) to demonstrate how that is practically impossible. Indeed, there is no way plastic will melt into a liquid to mix with the oil to give chips that crispy effect,” the authority said on its Twitter/X platform.

SSD/OGB

The myth about frying plantain chips with plastic 'Olonka' bags to make the chips crispy and hard, seems to have resurfaced on social media. #FDAGhana, share with you a practical experiment conducted on this at its Centre for Laboratory Services and Research (Food laboratory)…

— FDAGhana (@fdaghana) January 12, 2024