Chip fracturing from a fried ribbon

A process for preparing a chip snack comprising:

• preparing a dough by mixing a starchy food material and water, said dough having high enough moisture content to provide the dough with sufficient cohesiveness to permit sheeting of the dough and less than that amount of moisture that would cause the dough to be adhesive and stick to equipment, the moisture content of said dough being about 25 to 45 percent by weight;
• sheeting the dough;
• cutting the sheeted dough into a ribbon having alternating wide portions and narrow portions;
• frying the ribbon in an oil bath, said ribbon extending from the point at which said ribbon enters the bath to the point at which the ribbon exits the frying bath;
• and
• then fracturing the ribbon at said narrow portions, said fracturing taking place at least 5 seconds after the ribbon has exited said bath, said ribbon having become friable, thereby separating the fried ribbon at the narrow portions into individual chips.