# Spontaneous combustion of tortilla chips? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 20, 2018, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spontaneous-combustion-of-tortilla-chips/818275 "2018-07-20T15:04:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ionizer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5daacb/32.png) [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spontaneous-combustion-of-tortilla-chips/818275/1 "2018-07-20T15:04:29Z")
[This story](https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/austin-firefighters-respond-to-fires-caused-by-spontaneous-combustion-of-tortilla-chips), out of Austin, TX, is about a tortilla-chip maker that had changed it handling of waste chips had the ‘pile’ of old chips (stored behind the office) burst into flames. Apparently as firefighters ([AFD Facebook statement](https://www.facebook.com/AustinFireDepartment/posts/1891192827614847)) were putting out the burning boxes, others not on/in fire were lighting themselves in as f-fighters watched! Three days later, same thing again with the spontaneous flames of boxes of old chips that were left from last fire. :smack: This time, AFD soaked everything left there. Why the start of combustion??? Things I know and understand, fwiw: corn silos going boom because of high dust levels and a spark, and a substance’s actual temp for combustion (etc). But what is going on _here_? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spontaneous-combustion-of-tortilla-chips/818275/2 "2018-07-20T15:13:18Z")
It’s apparently not the tortilla chips themselves.\* according to the Newsweek story, the waste chips were subjected to some new, undisclosed (at least by Newsweek) treatment process that “didn’t work out so well”. So your Doritos in your home cupboard are probably fine, and you can go on vacation without worrying that your junk food will burn your house down. > **[Tortilla Chip 'Spontaneous Combustion' Caused Fires](https://www.newsweek.com/tortilla-chips-spontaneous-combustion-austin-fires-food-waste-blaze-austin-1033223)** > > The company had attempted a new waste management technique that "didn't work out so well." Don’t know what the process used was. Now I’m curious to find out. \*Although there IS a hot sauce called “Spontaneous Combustion” – [https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/southwest-specialty-foods-spontaneous-combustion-spicy-hot-sauce](https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/southwest-specialty-foods-spontaneous-combustion-spicy-hot-sauce) ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spontaneous-combustion-of-tortilla-chips/818275/3 "2018-07-20T15:23:03Z")
I’m going to go for “New! Linseed Flavor!” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spontaneous-combustion-of-tortilla-chips/818275/4 "2018-07-20T15:27:15Z")
You know how a poorly constructed, poorly maintained compost pile can [catch fire if conditions are right?](https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/basics/overheated-compost-piles.htm) I would imagine a pile of oily tortilla chips is at least as good a candidate for spontaneous combustion as a pile of oily rags. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spontaneous-combustion-of-tortilla-chips/818275/5 "2018-07-20T15:27:16Z")
Chips are flammable enough to use as a fire starter. It’s a trick i learned camping. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spontaneous-combustion-of-tortilla-chips/818275/6 "2018-07-20T15:43:01Z")
Mulch can burst into flames from the build up of heat from biotic action. Add some oil to the mix and you’ve got something highly flammable. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spontaneous-combustion-of-tortilla-chips/818275/7 "2018-07-20T18:49:08Z")
From the article ([https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/safetyinformation/fire/fireinthehome/FireintheHomeFactsheets/DFES-Home-Fire-Safety-Info-Note-Spontaneous-Combustion.pdf](https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/safetyinformation/fire/fireinthehome/FireintheHomeFactsheets/DFES-Home-Fire-Safety-Info-Note-Spontaneous-Combustion.pdf)) > [@](#): > > A well documented feature of organic oils is that they > have self heating properties which in certain situations > can progress to fire if not correctly handled. When stored > in bulk, there may be minimal increase in temperature but > if the oil is spread as a thin layer on a porous surface like > cotton cloth, the surface area exposed to oxygen (air) is > increased and heating may occur. So I’m guessing that fried tortilla chips count as a “thin layer on a porous surface”, and they were all sitting around in 95F/35C temps outdoors on July 12, so probably a perfect storm for spontaneous combustion. ---
**Author:** ![vonespy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vonespy/32/6204_2.png) [@vonespy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vonespy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spontaneous-combustion-of-tortilla-chips/818275/8 "2018-07-20T19:06:41Z")
Frito-Lay is always trying new flavors in the summertime. Maybe this was the new kerosene and thermite flavor. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2018, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spontaneous-combustion-of-tortilla-chips/818275/9 "2018-07-20T19:09:25Z")
Mental Floss took a look at the flammability of Doritos a few years ago during their first test of internet “life hacks”. They burned a lot better than expected. If you want to see a Dorito fire out of control, it’s at about the 9:40 mark in this video: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/3fQlYYZQBM4/maxresdefault.jpg "30 Life Hacks Debunked - mental\_floss on YouTube (Ep. 30)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fQlYYZQBM4) Doritos have different spices and such than regular tortilla chips, but I would expect regular tortilla chips to be just as combustible. Rags soaked with oil or other chemicals like paint thinner can spontaneously combust (see **bump** ’s link). I agree that it’s probably something similar with tortillas.