What Are Tuna Chips? Singapore's High-Protein Snack Made From Real Fish
6 min readNot tuna-flavoured. Not tuna-adjacent. Tuna chips are crispy snack chips made primarily from real tuna meat — pressed, seasoned, and baked or fried into a thin, crunchy chip that you eat straight from the bag like any other snack.
If that sounds unusual, it should. Most snack chips are made from potato, corn, or tapioca starch with a flavouring packet. Tuna chips flip the ratio: the fish is the main ingredient, and everything else is structural. The result is a chip with meaningful protein, natural Omega-3 fatty acids, and a savoury umami flavour that's closer to good sashimi than to a bag of Lays.
How Tuna Chips Are Made
The basic process starts with real tuna — ideally wild-caught for a cleaner flavour and better Omega-3 profile. The fish is mixed with a small amount of starch (usually tapioca or sago) to create a dough that can be sheeted thin, cut, and then baked or fried until crisp.
The quality difference between tuna chip brands comes down to one number: what percentage of the chip is actually fish. Some products use as little as 10–15% real fish and fill the rest with starch and flavouring. Others — like Chippity Co's Wild Caught Toro Chips — use 70% wild-caught tuna as the primary ingredient. You can taste the difference immediately, and the nutrition label confirms it.
Tuna Chips vs Potato Chips: A Direct Comparison
The gap is wider than most people expect.
| Nutrient (per 20g serving) | Potato Chips (typical) | Tuna Chips (70% tuna) |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | ~1.2g | 4.36g |
| DHA Omega-3 | 0mg | 136mg |
| Trans Fat | 0.1–0.3g | 0.0g |
| Calories | ~110 kcal | ~106 kcal |
| Preservatives | Usually yes | None (Toro Chips) |
Potato chips are essentially starch fried in oil. The calorie count is similar, but a tuna chip delivers nearly four times the protein and a meaningful dose of DHA Omega-3 — the fatty acid linked to brain function, eye health, and reduced inflammation. You're eating roughly the same number of calories either way. The question is what those calories are doing for you.
What Makes a Good Tuna Chip
Not all tuna chips are equal. Here's what separates a genuinely good product from a fish-flavoured gimmick:
- Fish content above 50%. Below that, you're eating starch with fish seasoning. The higher the percentage, the more protein and Omega-3 per serving. Look for brands that state the exact percentage on the label.
- Wild-caught over farmed. Wild-caught tuna has a naturally higher Omega-3 content because the fish eats a natural diet of smaller fish and crustaceans. Farmed fish eat formulated feed, and the Omega-3 levels vary depending on the producer.
- Short ingredient list. A good tuna chip needs fish, a binding starch, salt, and oil. If the ingredient list runs longer than one line, question what's being added and why.
- No artificial preservatives. Real fish, processed properly and sealed correctly, doesn't need preservatives for a 12-month shelf life.
Who Are Tuna Chips For?
The honest answer: anyone who eats snack chips. But certain groups benefit more than others.
Parents looking for better kids' snacks. Most school snacks contribute nothing beyond calories. A 20g bag of tuna chips at recess gives a child 4.36g of protein and 136mg of DHA — the Omega-3 fatty acid that supports brain development throughout childhood. It looks and tastes like a treat. It functions like nutrition.
Fitness and health-conscious adults. If you track macros or just try to make protein-forward choices, tuna chips solve the "I want a crunchy snack but not empty carbs" problem. 4.36g of protein per 20g serving, with Omega-3 as a bonus. Useful for desk snacking, post-workout, or replacing the afternoon vending machine run.
Anyone avoiding pork. In Singapore and across Southeast Asia, finding snacks that are pork-free and lard-free matters for a significant portion of the population. Tuna chips made without pork or lard — like Toro Chips — are naturally suitable for multi-faith households, schools, and shared environments.
Where to Find Tuna Chips in Singapore
The category is still emerging. Most supermarket shelves are dominated by potato, corn, and prawn-based chips. Dedicated tuna chips — especially those with high fish content — are primarily available online.
Chippity Co's Wild Caught Toro Chips are the standout option in Singapore: 70% wild-caught tuna, 136mg DHA Omega-3 per 20g serving, no pork, no lard, no artificial preservatives. Available in Regular (20g, S$3.90) and Large (80g, S$12.90) with free delivery above S$40.
If you're trying tuna chips for the first time, start with the 20g bag. The taste is distinct — a light, savoury crunch with genuine umami from real fish. It's different from anything else on the shelf, which is the entire point.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tuna Chips
Are tuna chips healthy?
Compared to conventional chips, yes — significantly. A tuna chip made from 70% real fish delivers roughly 3–4x more protein per serving than potato chips, plus DHA Omega-3 that regular chips don't contain at all. The calorie count is comparable, but the nutritional quality is in a different category entirely.
Do tuna chips taste fishy?
Good ones don't taste "fishy" in the unpleasant sense. They have a clean, savoury umami flavour — more like a delicate sashimi note than a tin of sardines. The higher the tuna content and the better the source fish, the cleaner the taste.
Are tuna chips safe for kids?
Yes. Tuna chips are a whole-food snack made from real fish. Toro Chips contain no artificial preservatives, no artificial colouring, no pork, and no lard — making them appropriate for children across most dietary backgrounds. The 20g portion is sized for school lunchboxes.
How much protein is in tuna chips?
It depends on the fish content. Tuna chips made with 70% real tuna (like Toro Chips) contain 4.36g of protein per 20g serving — or 21.8g per 100g. That's comparable to Greek yoghurt and significantly more than any conventional chip.
Where can I buy tuna chips in Singapore?
Chippity Co ships island-wide from chippity.co. Free delivery on orders above S$40, flat S$4.90 below. Also available on Shopee and TikTok Shop.