Product descriptions
SAMAI Plantain chips are made from premium quality plantains grown by local farmers on the Pacific coast of South America, in Ecuador.
The bananas are naturally ripened, then hand-picked and selected from the finest cuts. Then, they are transported to the processing plant, which is located right next to the plantations to keep the raw materials as fresh as possible. Once they arrive at the plant, they are sorted, peeled and sliced by expert hands. They are then fried in non-hydrogenated, pure vegetable oil until crispy, preserving the banana's natural flavour and nutrient-rich character.
Only sea salt is used for flavouring. It contains no added sugar, artificial flavour enhancers, flavours, colours or sodium glutamate (MSG). This guarantees an all-natural taste.
The crisps are unpacked under strictly controlled conditions to preserve the freshness and high quality of the product.
Plantains are a type of banana that is eaten cooked, steamed and baked. Its high nutritional content makes it a staple food in many coastal areas of South America, Africa and Asia.
Only non-hydrogenated palm oil (palmolein) is used to fry plantains. This less saturated (more liquid) oil is extracted from the oil palm fruit by cooking and pressing. No chemicals are used in the process. Palmolein, unlike palm kernel oil and coconut oil, contains fewer saturated components.
As with all vegetable oils, palmolein is cholesterol-free and, as it does not require hydrogenation, trans fat-free. It is rich in tocopherol and tocotrienol (vitamin E). Red palm oil is the best natural source of beta-carotene (provitamin A).
The following key factors have been used to select palmolein for SAMAI products:
- The fatty acids in palm oil are perfectly balanced, ensuring that the oil remains stable at high temperatures.
- The oil palms are grown in the same region, in the Ecuadorian tropics, as the other ingredients. This ensures that fresh oil is used, while contributing to the development of the local economy.
- Last but not least, the oil used comes from plantations outside the protected rainforest. The palm trees cover their environment with a green canopy, allowing the development of many plants and organisms. Their carbon dioxide uptake makes them more efficient at cleaning the air,