NANCY OSORIO, APRIL 24TH, 2022

THE CHEETO: WILL IT OR NOT?

America's #1 selling chip is put to the test…
CHEETOS

WHAT HAPPENS TO CHEETOS

WHEN LIT ON FIRE?

- The question of whether or not

Cheetos products catch on re
or burn has long been a
popular debate on the internet.
fi
CHEETO BELIEFS
There are various things known to catch fire. Often times we see cautionary
labels indicating that an item is flammable. It is rare however, to see this
precaution on food products. Sure, food can catch on fire while cooking if
not careful, but who is thinking about whether or not their food is
flammable? Much less Cheetos which are a quick finger snack that you eat
on the go. They are made out of corn which I know can burn because I have
seen my mother overcook and burn them, all jokes aside. Given the
question, I’d suppose a Cheeto would catch fire and quickly burn into ashes.
 Original Cheetos

Flamin Hot Cheetos

Flamin Hot Limon Cheetos

Lighter or matches

MATERIALS
Timer

 EXPERIMENT

HOW TO SEE IF THEY WILL

OR NOT?
- Step one is to gather and
arrange the materials needed.
Separate products into three
sections for each avor.
- Step two is to select the rst
avor and light it on re with a
2 minute timer. Carefully
observe and record the results.
Repeat with the remaining 2
avors.
*Pictured is my mother helping me conduct the
experiment. She is holding a Flaming Hot Cheeto on
its 2nd minute burning.
fl
fl
fl
fi

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 BURN TIME
2

1.5

0.5

0
Original Flamin Hot Flamin Hot Limon
CHEETOS BURN TIMES IN MINUTES
“I’D SUPPOSE A CHEETO WOULD CATCH
FIRE AND QUICKLY BURN INTO ASHES.”
MY INITIAL THOUGHT THAT A CHEETO OF ANY FLAVOR WOULD
QUICKLY BURN INTO ASHES PROVED TO BE WRONG FOLLOWING MY
EXPERIMENT. I TESTED 3 FLAVORS, NONE OF WHICH BURNED DOWN
INTO ASH. INSTEAD THEY KEPT ON BURNING SIMILAR TO A TORCH.
EXCEPT THE FLAMING LEMON WHOSE FIRE WENT OUT AT AROUND 90
SECONDS. THEY CHANGED IN COLOR AND NOTHING HAPPENED AFTER
THAT. NOW THAT MY QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT A CHEETO
WOULD BURN HAS BEEN ANSWERED, I AM LEFT WONDERING WHY A
CHEETO DOES NOT BURN DOWN BUT INSTEAD REMAINS ON FIRE?