• USA Today, Monday, October 23, 2006 12:15 PM

At an analysts meeting today, Frito-Lay will unveil Flat Earth snacks, which contain half a serving of fruits or veggies per ounce (about 11 chips). The line includes three veggie crisps, such as Tangy Tomato Ranch, and three fruit crisps, such as Wild Berry Patch, at $2.99 per 6-ounce bag. They will roll out in February.

Flat Earth will be joining an increasingly crowded shelf for healthy snacks. Product tracker Mintel has counted 45 veggie-based rollouts in the past year. "This may replace the whole-grain fad," says Lynn Dornblaser, Mintel director of customer solutions. But at least one nutritionist questions the health quotient of the new products. "Once you pulverize and powder vegetables, there's not much left," says Cynthia Lair, author of "Feeding the Whole Family."

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