Hybrids are also chosen based on resistance to disease and damage from insects, stalk strength, how easily they grow, and how easily they can be pulled out of the ground. Types of kernels are important, so hybrids are chosen specifically to produce carmel corn, microwave popcorn, As a final step in the manufacturing process, quality-control inspectors observe the kernels as they move along a conveyor belt and suck out poor-quality kernels with a vacuum hose.
Movie theaters are interested in selling the greatest volume for the smallest investment, so high-expansion kernels are chosen for this market. Part of the "design" of popcorn is the method used to pop it. The dry method consists of putting the unpopped grain in a basket or wire cage, agitating it over a heat source like the campfire or coal stove, allowing the corn to pop, and seasoning it with butter and salt.
In the wet-pop method, corn is placed in a container with a solid bottom. Oil is added either before the corn or poured on top , and the oil helps to distribute the heat and cause more even and complete popping. Commercial popping machines use the wet-pop method, and coconut oil is used for its aroma and lightness. Microwave popcorn also uses the wet-pop method, although the moisture is present in a solidified form of oil, flavoring, and salt that melts when the microwaving process begins.
Quality control practices are essential in the field and factory. The process of pollinating the ears of corn correctly is essential to the production of any popcorn at all. In the factory, the cleaning processes are carefully monitored, and the series of screens and other devices are chosen to remove all stray materials and unwanted kernels.
Even magnets are used to pull out bits of metal that may have been introduced by the farm machinery or storage bins. Finally, a team of quality-control inspectors simply observes the kernels as they move along a conveyor belt and removes poor-quality kernels with a vacuum hose. Cobs, husks, and stalks are sold for use as feed for cattle and other animals, so very little waste remains from popcorn cultivation and processing.
Popcorn's future was assured in the s when its nutritional benefits were widely publicized. Weight Watchers recommends popcorn as a snack for the weight-conscious, the American Dental Association endorses this sugar-free snack, and the American Cancer Society recognizes the benefits of the high fiber content of popcorn in possibly preventing several types of cancer.
Popcorn's nutritional value is so high that doctors recommend it—even with oil—over many other snack foods. Microwave packaging has also allowed popcorn manufacturers to enhance their product with flavorings that keep well and produce a range of good tastes when cooked. The competition to create the latest taste sensations or borrow them from other trendy foods is fierce in the popcorn trade, but this also helps assure the food's future.
American popcorn makers compete among themselves for the best yield and novel flavors, but, increasingly, their competition is coming from growers in Argentina and South Africa. Russel, Solveig Paulson.
Woodside, Dave. What Makes Popcorn Pop? New York: Atheneum, Hyatt, Joshua. May : Kummer, Corby. Now There are Better Ways. Jolly Time Popcorn Company. The Popcorn Institute. Snappy Popcorn. Wabash Valley Farms. Toggle navigation. Made How Volume 5 Popcorn Popcorn. As a final step in the manufacturing process, quality-control inspectors observe the kernels as they move along a conveyor belt and suck out poor-quality kernels with a vacuum hose.
Periodicals "Exploding the Popcorn Myth. Other Jolly Time Popcorn Company. Other articles you might like:. Pressure from the steam continues to build until the hull ruptures, allowing the kernel to forcefully expand, from 20 to 50 times its original size, and then cool.
Some strains of corn taxonomized as Zea mays are cultivated specifically as popping corns. The Zea mays variety everta , a special kind of flint corn, is the most common of these. Popcorn is one of the six major types of corn, which includes dent corn, flint corn, pod corn, flour corn, and sweet corn. Corn was domesticated about 10, years ago in what is now Mexico.
Archaeologists discovered that people have known about popcorn for thousands of years. In Mexico, for example, remnants of popcorn have been found that date circa BC. Through the 19th century, popping of the kernels was achieved by hand on stove tops.
Popcorn is an ingredient in Cracker Jack and, in the early years of the product, it was popped by hand. Popcorn's accessibility increased rapidly in the s with Charles Cretors' invention of the popcorn maker. Cretors, a Chicago candy store owner, had created a number of steam-powered machines for roasting nuts and applied the technology to the corn kernels.
By the turn of the century, Cretors had created and deployed street carts equipped with steam-powered popcorn makers. During the Great Depression, popcorn was fairly inexpensive at 5—10 cents a bag and became popular. Thus, while other businesses failed, the popcorn business thrived and became a source of income for many struggling farmers, including the Redenbacher family, namesake of the famous popcorn brand.
During World War II, sugar rations diminished candy production, and Americans compensated by eating three times as much popcorn as they had before. The snack was popular at theaters, much to the initial displeasure of many of the theater owners, who thought it distracted from the films. Their minds eventually changed, however, and in a Midwestern theater owner named Glen W. Dickinson Sr. Popcorn was making more profit than theater tickets, and at the suggestion of his production consultant, R.
Ray Aden, Dickinson purchased popcorn farms and was able to keep ticket prices down. The venture was a financial success, and the trend to serve popcorn soon spread. In , Orville Redenbacher's namesake brand of popcorn was launched. In , General Mills received the first patent for a microwave popcorn bag; popcorn consumption saw a sharp increase, by tens of thousands of pounds, in the years following. According to the USDA, corn used for popcorn production is specifically planted for this purpose; most is grown in Nebraska and Indiana, with increasing area in Texas.
As the result of an elementary school project, popcorn became the official state snack food of Illinois. Minerals are inorganic molecules that act as co-factors and participate in chemical and biochemical reactions. Popcorn contains trace amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium.
Reactions between olfactory regions of our nasal passages and inhaled volatile constituents take place, creating an aroma for individuals to either enjoy or detest. Yellow kernels are desirable for manufacturers. After generations of selective breeding, white kernels are being pushed aside while yellow kernels are increasing in number.
The yellow kernels produce two specific hybrids: "mushroom" and "butterfly" shaped products. Mushroom popcorn is ball-shaped. Most ready-to-eat popcorn products are of the mushroom variety because of their less fragile nature. Both types are shown in the figure to the right.
Starch, which makes up corn, is a sol: solid proteins and plant polysaccharides dispersed in a liquid continuous phase of water. This colloidal dispersion allows the tight packing and hard texture of unpopped kernels and the fluffy texture of popped corn.
This alignment turns the kernel inside-out, making a "pop" sound and allowing the kernel to expand The sol lends to the good mouth-feel of the cooked product. As stated previously, mushroom and butterfly popcorn are the breeds most desired by consumers. The main polysaccharide in corn, like most other plants, is starch. Starch is broken down a bit in the mouth by the enzyme called salivary amylase, a component of saliva, into maltose.
Maltose is slightly sweet - 20 on the Sweetness Index, compared to for sucrose -and will lead to a sweeter but still bitter flavour of popcorn.
These ingredients enhance and add to the flavour of the popcorn. Based on the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and Regulations, seven different components are required on packaged popcorn. These include the common name, the net quantity, name and address, list of ingredients, nutrition facts table, expiration date, and bilingual labeling. Canada and Indiana USA depend on each other for popcorn kernel sales. More specifically, companies that own the farms in Indiana must be licensed with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
In addition, the kernels need to meet all the health and safety requirements of the Food And Drug Regulations.
Since , popcorn sales have been gradually increasing. Thus, companies have been moving towards making ready-to-eat popcorn i. Kettle Corn. However, microwave popcorn is still being manufactured due to its high popularity. As shown on the graph below, popcorn is not consumed as much as other snack foods in Canada. Between and , the popcorn market in Canada increased at a compound annual growth rate of 7. In , ConAgra Foods, Inc.
Microwave popcorn is a convenient snack, packaging is easy to use, and the popcorn itself is cheap, fresh and delicious. In terms of nutrition, microwave popcorn is high in antioxidant polyphenols and dietary fibre. It is hard to predict the time needed to cook the popcorn kernels in the microwave, since different microwave ovens have different powers: when added in the microwave for too long, the kernels start to burn, resulting in a bitter taste.
When taken out of microwave too early, popcorn kernels are left unpopped, resulting in waste. A good way to determine when a bag of popcorn is finished popping is to wait until there is a pop every seconds.
There is a possibility of hazardous substances in microwave popcorn:. However, federal health officials state that the amount of popcorn butter flavouring consumers inhale in making or eating popcorn is believed to be too low to pose a health risk. Interview With Popcorn About: Popcorn is nervous about her job interview but moves past her fears. She talks about her past in the corn field and how her popularity has been increasing in Canadian households.
Watch the video to learn more about Popcorn's story! Team 01 has gained much insight to the topic of microwave popcorn: having little knowledge at the beginning of the term made us curious about the facts regarding microwave popcorn. After weighing the pros and cons of microwave popcorn processing, team 01 has determined that microwave popcorn is safe to consume: popcorn is nutritionally beneficial with a high fiber and micronutrient content.
Moreover, eating popcorn in moderation can decrease risks of certain diet-related diseases. Much research has been done with short term effects of consuming microwave popcorn, but long term effects have not been determined thus far. In the last three decades, popcorn has become a widely popular snack in North America, with Many popcorn flavours and varieties have derived from this popularity.
This includes flavours consisting of caramel, strawberry, and butter, to name a few. These have found a place in movie theatres, amusement parks, stadiums, and supermarkets. An expanded availability of popcorn products has given consumers an array of options to choose from. Specifically, some complain about genetically modified corn. However, not enough research has been done to prove the risks associated with GMO on human health.
The popcorn industry will continue to expand throughout North America and will stay as Canada's favorite snack for years to come. Since they do not seem to be spoiled, you place them into a paper bag and then into the microwave.
0コメント