Traditionally eaten in Poland over the festive period, carp farms struggle once the festive season has ended.

But now researchers at the West Pomeranian University of Technology in the northwest of the country say they have come up with a solution to ensure year-round sales for carp farms after receiving 3 million złoty (€690,000) from the EU’s Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund.

Posting on the university’s website, the scientists said that the result of their research was “a snack that has on average several dozen calories less per 100g than traditional crisps or puffs, with a protein content several times higher.

“It also has less fat,” they added.

In addition to carp meat, the snack contains just salt, pepper, a little sugar and tapioca starch (tapioca is used rather than potato starch to prevent the crisps from breaking during frying, and to increase their volume).

The crisps are planned to be made commercially available, either as a ready-to-eat product or semi-cooked for home frying.