Frito-Lay has admitted that high temperatures are needed for the home composting of its recently re-launched SunChips' bag.

The US potato chip company reintroduced a quieter version of its ‘100 per cent compostable bag' on its SunChip's original flavour brand two months ago following customer uproar about the original packet being too loud.

Brad Rodgers, Frito-Lay's R&D director, told BakeryandSnacks.com the bag is home compostable within the 14 week claims made by the company, but only under a hot active composter temperature that needs to reach above 45- 55 degrees Celsius.

If the compost pile does not get as hot as 55 degrees Celsius the SunChips bag will still break down but it will just take longer, the company said.