The salt load of potato chips is released between 20-30 seconds after chewing begins, according to new UK research. But, the chip is swallowed before this occurs, so more salt is added in order to get the “flavor hit” sooner. The team, from the University of Nottingham, measured the salt-release of salted chips (or crisps, in the UK). They carried out a measurement of perceived saltiness and saliva conductivity (as an indicator of salt) and salt content by tongue swabbing over a 60-second period after a crisp was chewed, but not swallowed. The future development of new technology to modify rate-release mechanism of salt in the mouth could lead to less salt being used to flavor crisps/chips.