We Found a Strange Blue Object in a Bag of Chips—Here’s What It Turned Out to Be

People from all kinds of backgrounds—some saying they worked in food manufacturing or quality assurance—began sharing their insights. After reading their explanations and doing a bit of research myself, the answer became clear. The blue disk wasn’t a foreign contaminant or a child’s toy. It was actually a test piece used during food production to verify that safety and metal-detection systems are working properly before products are approved for sale.

These test components are commonly used in factories that make packaged snacks like chips, crackers, and cookies.

They’re designed to trigger detection equipment during routine checks, ensuring scanners can catch unwanted materials before anything leaves the facility.

Although these devices are never meant to reach consumers, rare mistakes can happen.