Cracker chips: a salty grain snack with almost no research of its own

The one trial in which adults ate crackers every day for weeks used crackers made for the study and enriched with polyunsaturated fats. In it, 25 adults with overweight ate about 2.4 oz (67.5 g) a day for 70 days, and their cholesterol and triglycerides did not change, while both the test and the control crackers left them feeling fuller. We found no study of cracker chips themselves. What the record does give is composition. The US survey database lists cracker chips at 491 calories, 21.1 g fat, 8.8 g fiber and 423 mg sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g), one averaged profile across brands with no range. A single chip weighs about 3 g. A 30 g cup comes to about 147 calories and 127 mg sodium, recalculated from the 100 g values rather than measured.

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• Cracker chips in the US survey database carry 491 calories, 21.1 g fat, 67.3 g carbohydrate, 8.0 g protein, 8.8 g fiber and 423 mg sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g). — USDA FNDDS survey food 'Cracker chips', food code 54440020, WWEIA category tortilla, corn, other chips Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: 491 calories, fat 21.11 g, carbohydrate 67.26 g, protein 7.95 g, fiber 8.8 g, sodium 423 mg

What a real portion looks like

• One cracker chip weighs about 3 g in the US survey, so a 30 g cup gives about 147 calories and 127 mg sodium. — USDA FNDDS portion weights for 'Cracker chips', food code 54440020 Evidence E source
  1 chip 3 g (about 15 calories); 1 cup 30 g (147 calories, 127 mg sodium); quantity not specified 18 g (88 calories); recalculated from 100 g values

What cooking and storage change

• In a crossover trial in 21 young women, oat paste roasted at 320 °F (160 °C) contained 507 mcg/kg acrylamide and raised insulin more than oats roasted at 194 to 230 °F (90 to 110 °C), which had no detectable acrylamide. — 21 healthy young female adults, randomized crossover, single test meals (n = 21) Evidence B source
  High-temperature roast: acrylamide 507.4 mcg/kg, higher insulinemic response and HOMA-PP; low-temperature roast: lower glucose response, no detectable acrylamide
• According to the FDA, acrylamide forms in cereal-grain-based foods such as crackers when sugars react with asparagine during frying, roasting and baking. — US FDA consumer and industry information on acrylamide Evidence E source
  Qualitative: formation during high-temperature cooking
• Lab data suggest acrylamide in baked foods can be cut by lowering asparagine and reducing sugars, baking cooler or shorter, or adding asparaginase, while some additives raise it. — food products in laboratory and processing studies Evidence D source
  Qualitative: enzymes, proteins and phenolics reduce, some synthetic and natural additives increase acrylamide

What it does to your health

• In a 70-day double-blind trial in 25 adults with overweight, a daily 67.5 g cracker snack enriched with polyunsaturated fats raised satiety but did not cut waist size or blood lipids. — 25 adults with overweight and abdominal adiposity, 70 days (n = 25) Evidence B source
  No reduction in waist circumference, no change in cholesterol or triglycerides; satiety increased in both arms

Safety, limits and interactions

• According to FDA sampling, acrylamide levels in crackers and potato chips fell significantly compared with earlier sampling, while other foods generally did not. — US FDA acrylamide sampling of foods Evidence E source
  Significant decrease in crackers and potato chips; no significant decrease in most other foods
• Observational data pooled from 32 publications link dietary acrylamide with no meaningful change in risk for most cancers, with only a borderline signal for kidney cancer. — epidemiological studies of dietary acrylamide and cancer at 14 sites, up to July 2014 (n = 32 publications) Evidence C source
  Kidney cancer RR 1.20 (95% CI 1.00-1.45) high vs low intake; other sites RR 0.87 to 1.14, not significant
• Observational data link the highest maternal acrylamide biomarker levels in pregnancy with higher odds of small for gestational age babies and 131 g lower birth weight. — 5 studies, 53,870 mother-newborn pairs (n = 53870) Evidence C source
  Highest quartile AA-Hb: SGA OR 1.20 (95% CI 1.08-1.33); birth weight -131 g (95% CI -204 to -58)

What people believe that the data does not support

• In randomized label studies, over 78% of 101 adults wrongly read the label serving size as the amount to eat, and larger label servings made people serve 27% more cheese crackers to another person. — US adult consumers in four studies (n 101, 51, 60, 61) (n = 273) Evidence B source
  78% misread serving size; proposed label led to 41% more cookies served to self and 27% more cheese crackers served to others

Who this works differently for

• A US survey of 3,022 infants and toddlers found snacks gave about 25% of toddler daily energy, with crackers and chips among the typical snack foods. — 3,022 infants and toddlers aged 4 to 24 months, Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (n = 3022) Evidence C source
  Snacks about 25% of toddler energy; afternoon snack eaten by over 80% of toddlers
• In a trial of 91 children around 7 years old, neutral mood led to the most energy eaten from goldfish crackers, while sadness raised chocolate intake instead. — 91 children, mean age 6.8 years, randomized mood induction (n = 91) Evidence B source
  Savory cracker energy highest in neutral, then happy, then sad condition; reverse for chocolate

What is still unknown

• A meta-analysis of 28 occurrence studies found acrylamide to be the highest processing contaminant in wheat-based foods, at about 136 mcg per kg, with no commercial sample data from some regions. — 28 studies measuring processing contaminants in wheat-based foods (bread, cookies, pasta) (n = 28 studies) Evidence C source
  Pooled acrylamide 136.29 mcg/kg vs HMF 70.59 mcg/kg and PAHs 0.11 mcg/kg

The bottom line

Cracker chips are baked grain, and according to the FDA acrylamide forms in cereal-grain foods when sugars react with the amino acid asparagine during frying, roasting and baking. FDA sampling found significant drops in acrylamide in crackers and potato chips compared with earlier rounds, though the agency page gives no figures or years. Across 28 studies of wheat foods such as bread, cookies and pasta, acrylamide averaged about 136 mcg per kg in food samples, and crackers were not counted separately. Baking temperature matters in at least one grain. In a crossover trial in 21 young women, oat paste roasted at 320 °F (160 °C) held 507 mcg/kg acrylamide and drew a higher insulin response than oats roasted at 194 to 230 °F (90 to 110 °C), which had none detectable. Those were single test meals of oats, so they show the principle and say nothing direct about chips. Whether the acrylamide in food harms people is unclear for a specific reason: the human evidence is observational and estimates intake from questionnaires. Pooling 32 publications, only kidney cancer reached borderline significance, with a relative risk of 1.20 (95% CI 1.00 to 1.45), and no other cancer site showed a significant change. The caution worth knowing concerns pregnancy. Across 5 studies of 53,870 mothers and newborns, the highest quartile of a blood acrylamide marker was linked with 1.20 times the odds of a small-for-gestational-age baby (95% CI 1.08 to 1.33) and a birth weight 131 g lower (95% CI 58 to 204 g). That marker comes from all food, and the studies cannot trace it to crackers. We have no data on allergy or drug interactions specific to cracker chips. Read the label serving with care. In randomized label experiments, over 78% of participants thought the serving size meant how much to eat in one sitting, and a larger label serving led people to serve 27% more cheese crackers to someone else, in short lab scenarios. Children meet these snacks early. In a 2004 US survey of 3,022 infants and toddlers, based on mothers' 24 hour reports, snacks gave toddlers about 25% of their daily energy, and crackers and chips were among the typical snack foods.

Sources

1. crkc-r4-01 · food composition dataset
   Cracker chips, FNDDS code 54440020, fdc_id 2708293: Energy 491 KCAL, Total lipid (fat) 21.11 G, Carbohydrate, by difference 67.26 G, Protein 7.95 G, Fiber, total dietary 8.8 G, Sodium, Na 423 MG per 100 g
   USDA FoodData Central, FNDDS survey foods release 2024-10-31 · checked 2026-10-02
2. crkc-r4-02 · food composition dataset
   Cracker chips, fdc_id 2708293: 1 cracker chip 3 g; 1 cup, NFS 30 g; Quantity not specified 18 g
   USDA FoodData Central, FNDDS survey foods release 2024-10-31 · checked 2026-10-02
3. crkc-r4-04 · randomized crossover trial
   Notably, H30 exhibited impaired insulin sensitivity (higher HOMA-PP) and adverse second-meal effects, likely due to acrylamide formation (507.4 μg/kg) and reduced slowly digestible starch (SDS). In contrast, low-temperature roasting preserved β-glucan integrity, enhanced SDS and resistant starch (RS) content, and improved textural properties without detectable acrylamide.
   Food Res Int, 2026 · checked 2026-10-02
4. crkc-r4-05 · agency statement
   Acrylamide is a substance that forms through a natural chemical reaction between sugars and asparagine, an amino acid, in plant-based foods – including potato and cereal-grain-based foods. Acrylamide forms during high-temperature cooking, such as frying, roasting, and baking.
   US FDA, Acrylamide (Process Contaminants in Food), content current as of 2024-03-05 · checked 2026-10-02
5. crkc-r4-07 · systematic review, food chemistry
   Some interventions, such as reducing AA precursors in raw materials, (i.e., asparagine), reducing sugars, or decreasing temperature and processing time can be applied to limit AA formation in food products.
   Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-10-02
6. crkc-r4-09 · randomized controlled trial
   Each group consumed a serving of the respective crackers (± 67.5 g) as an afternoon snack every day for 70 days. ... Test and control crackers were well tolerated and increased satiety while reducing hunger and intention to eat in the future. There was no change in circulating cholesterol or triglyceride levels.
   Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2026 · checked 2026-10-02
7. crkc-r4-06 · agency statement
   The most recent data, as compared to earlier sampling, indicate significant decreases in acrylamide concentrations in potato chips and crackers; while acrylamide levels in other foods generally did not decrease significantly.
   US FDA, Acrylamide (Process Contaminants in Food), content current as of 2024-03-05 · checked 2026-10-02
8. crkc-r4-10 · meta-analysis of observational studies
   The RR was of borderline significance only for kidney cancer (RR = 1.20; 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.00-1.45).
   Int J Cancer, 2015 · checked 2026-10-02
9. crkc-r4-11 · meta-analysis of observational studies
   Higher risk of SGA and lower birth weight and head circumference were observed in the highest quartile of AA-Hb [odds ratio (OR): 1.20 (95% CI: 1.08; 1.33); mean difference (MD): -131 g (95% CI: -204; -58)
   Environ Res, 2022 · checked 2026-10-02
10. crkc-r4-08 · randomized experiments
    the majority of participants (over 78%) incorrectly believed that the serving sizes refer to how much food can or should be consumed in one sitting as part of a healthy diet ... the proposed label (vs. the current label) led consumers to serve themselves 41% more cookies (study 2); serve 27% more cheese crackers to another person (study 3)
    Appetite, 2015 · checked 2026-10-02
11. crkc-r4-12 · cross-sectional survey
    The afternoon snack was consumed by over 80% of toddlers (12 to 24 months), and snacks provided about 25% of toddlers' daily energy intakes. Typical snack foods for toddlers were milk, water, cookies, crackers, chips, and fruit drinks.
    J Am Diet Assoc, 2004 · checked 2026-10-02
12. crkc-r4-13 · randomized experiment
    However, the reverse pattern was observed for goldfish crackers: children in the neutral condition consumed more energy from this savory snack than children in the happy condition, followed by children in sad condition.
    Appetite, 2018 · checked 2026-10-02
13. crkc-r4-03 · meta-analysis of occurrence data
    The highest concentration was for acrylamide (136.29 µg·kg-1) followed by HMF (70.59 µg·kg-1) and PAHs (0.11 µg·kg-1). Acrylamide is the main processing contaminant researched, and no studies on the subject have been found in commercial samples in some regions of the world.
    Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2023 · checked 2026-10-02