Popcorn
Popcorn on the cob, freshly harvested. Popped popcorn, ready for eating.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Poales Family: Poaceae Genus: Zea Species: Z. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Liliopsida is a Botanical name for the class containing the family Liliaceae (or Lily Family Poales is an order of Flowering plants in the Monocotyledons and includes families of plants such as the grasses, Bromeliads, Poaceae or Gramineae is a family in the Class Liliopsida of the flowering plants. The teosintes are a group of large grasses of the genus Zea found in Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua. mays Subspecies: Z. m. averta
Binomial name
Zea mays averta

Popcorn or popping corn is a type of corn which explodes from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Special varieties are grown to give improved popping yield. Some wild types will pop, but the cultivated strain is Zea mays averta, which is a special kind of flint corn. Flint corn is a type of Corn, of which Popcorn is considered a variant The process of making popcorn was first discovered by aboriginal Americans thousands of years ago. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. ^[1]

History

Popcorn was first discovered by the native Americans, who believed that the popping noise was that of an angry god who escaped the kernel. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States Popcorn was very popular in the 1890s, until World War I. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All As corn crops became more depleted during this war, nuts were used instead of corn. During the Depression, popcorn was a luxury at 5-10 cents a bag. When some of the other businesses failed, the popcorn business thrived. An example is "an Oklahoma banker who went broke when his bank failed, bought a popcorn machine, and started a business in a small store near a theater. After a couple of years, his popcorn business made enough money to buy back three of the farms he'd lost. "^[2] During World War II, Americans ate three times more popcorn than they had before because of the sugar that was going overseas. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

At least six localities (all in the United States of America) claim to be the "Popcorn Capital of the World": Valparaiso, Indiana; Van Buren, Indiana; Marion, Ohio; Ridgway, Illinois; Schaller, Iowa; and North Loup, Nebraska. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Valparaiso (ˌvɑlpəˈreɪzoʊ is a city in Porter County, Indiana, U Van Buren is a town in Van Buren Township, Grant County, Indiana, United States. Marion is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Marion County. Ridgway is a village in Gallatin County, Illinois, United States. Schaller is a city in Sac County, Iowa, United States. The population was 779 at the 2000 census North Loup is a village in Valley County, Nebraska, United States. According to the USDA, most of the maize used for popcorn production is specifically planted for this purpose; most is grown in Nebraska and Indiana, with increasing area in Texas. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Nebraska ( is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States and The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. ^[3]

As the result of an elementary school project, popcorn became the official state snack food of Illinois. The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. ^[4]

Some of the most popular brands of popcorn today are Act II, Pop Secret, Pop Weaver, Jiffy Pop, Kroger, and Orville Redenbacher's. Act II is a brand of Popcorn in North America that is ostensibly based on the look and taste of Movie theater popcorn Pop Secret is a Brand of Popcorn produced by Weaver Popcorn Company for General Mills, introduced in 1986 Pop Weaver is the flagship brand for Weaver Popcorn Company, a family-owned business started in 1928 by Ira Weaver that develops grows processes packages and ships Jiffy Pop is Popcorn and Brand of ConAgra Foods. The product combines unpopped popcorn kernels and oil with an aluminum pan and folded aluminum foil lid The Kroger Co ( is an American Retail Supermarket chain and Parent company, founded by Bernard Henry Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn is a brand of Popcorn founded by Orville Redenbacher in 1971.

How popcorn pops

Kernel and popped popcorn

Each kernel of popcorn contains a certain amount of moisture and oil. Unlike most other grains, the outer hull of the popcorn kernel is both strong and impervious to moisture, and the starch inside consists almost entirely of a hard, dense type. ^[5]

As the oil and the water are heated past the boiling point, they turn the moisture in the kernel into a superheated pressurized steam, contained within the moisture-proof hull. Under these conditions, the starch inside the kernel gelatinizes, softening and becoming pliable. Starch gelatinization is a process that breaks down the intermolecular bonds of Starch molecules in the presence of Water and heat allowing the Hydrogen The pressure continues to increase until the breaking point of the hull is reached: a pressure of about 135 psi (930 kPa)^[5] and a temperature of 180°C. The pound per square inch or more accurately pound-force per square inch (symbol psi or lbf/in² or lbf/in²) is a unit of The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. The hull ruptures rapidly, causing a sudden drop in pressure inside the kernel and a corresponding rapid expansion of the steam, which expands the starch and proteins of the endosperm into airy foam. Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl The most general definition of foam is a substance that is formed by trapping many gas Bubbles in a Liquid or Solid. As the foam rapidly cools, the starch and protein polymers set into the familiar crispy puff. A polymer is a large Molecule ( Macromolecule) composed of repeating Structural units typically connected by Covalent Chemical bonds ^[5]

Expansion and yield

A home popcorn-maker.

Popping results are sensitive to the rate at which the kernels are heated. If heated too quickly, the steam in the outer layers of the kernel can reach high pressures and rupture the hull before the starch in the center of the kernel can fully gelatinize, leading to partially popped kernels with hard centers. Heating too slowly leads to entirely unpopped kernels: the tip of the kernel, where it attached to the cob, is not entirely moisture-proof, and when heated slowly, the steam can leak out of the tip fast enough to keep the pressure from rising sufficiently to break the hull and cause the pop. ^[6]

Producers and sellers of popcorn consider two major factors in evaluating the quality of popcorn: what percentage of the kernels will pop, and how much each popped kernel expands. Expansion is an important factor to both the consumer and vendor. For the consumer, larger pieces of popcorn tend to be more tender and are associated with higher quality. For the grower, distributor, and vendor, expansion is closely correlated with profit: vendors such as theaters buy popcorn by weight and sell it by volume. For both these reasons, higher-expansion popcorn fetches a higher profit per unit weight.

Popcorn will pop when freshly harvested, but not well: its high moisture content leads to poor expansion and chewy pieces of popcorn. Kernels with a high moisture content are also susceptible to mold when stored. For these reasons, popcorn growers and distributors dry the kernels until they reach the moisture level at which they expand the most. This differs by variety and conditions, but is generally in the range of 14–15% moisture by weight. If the kernels are over-dried, the expansion rate will suffer and the percentage of kernels that pop at all will decline.

Two explanations exist for kernels which do not pop at proper temperatures, known in the popcorn industry as "old maids". The first is that unpopped kernels do not have enough moisture to create enough steam for an explosion. The second explanation, according to research led by Dr. Bruce Hamaker of Purdue University, is that the unpopped kernel may have a leaky hull.

Popcorn varieties are broadly categorized by the shape of the kernels, the color of the kernels, or the shape of the popped corn. While the kernels may come in a variety of colors, the popped corn is always white as it is only the hull (or pericarp) that is colored. "Rice" type popcorns have a long kernel pointed at both ends; "pearl" type kernels are rounded at the top. Commercial popcorn production has moved mostly to pearl types. ^[7] Historically, pearl popcorns were usually yellow and rice popcorns usually white. Today both shapes are available in both colors, as well as others including black, red, and variegated. Variegation is the appearance of differently coloured zones in the leaves, and sometimes the stems, of Plants This may be due to a number of causes Commercial production is dominated by white and yellow. ^[8]

"Mushroom"-shaped popcorn, left, is less fragile but less tender than "butterfly"-shaped, right.

In popcorn jargon, a popped kernel of corn is known as a "flake". Two shapes of flakes are commercially important. "Butterfly" flakes are irregular in shape and have a number of protruding "wings". "Mushroom" flakes are largely ball-shaped, with few wings. Butterfly flakes are regarded as having better mouthfeel, with greater tenderness and less noticeable hulls. Mouthfeel is a product’s physical and Chemical interaction in the mouth Mushroom flakes are less fragile than butterfly flakes and are therefore often used for packaged popcorn or confectionery, such as caramel corn. Confectionery is a set of Food items that are rich in Sugar; modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well Caramel corn is a confection made of Popcorn covered in Caramel or Molasses, creating a sweet crunchy treat ^[8] The kernels from a single cob of popcorn may form both butterfly and mushroom flakes; hybrids that produce 100% butterfly flakes or 100% mushroom flakes exist, the latter developed only as recently as 1998. ^[8] Growing conditions and popping environment can also affect the butterfly-to-mushroom ratio.

As a food

Popcorn is usually served salted or sweetened. In North America, it is traditionally served salted, although a sweetened version, generally called caramel corn, is also commonly available. In the United Kingdom, ready-made popcorn is available either salted or simply sweetened with sugar, both varieties being equally popular. Toffee (i. e. caramel) popcorn is also available, but tends to be more expensive. Popcorn is a popular snack at sporting events and in cinemas, where it has been served since 1912. A snack food (commonly called a snack) is seen in Western culture as a type of food not meant to be eaten as a main Meal of the day – Breakfast Cinemaaustraliajpg|thumb|A movie theater in Australia ]]A movie theater, movie theatre, picture theatre or cinema is a venue Although small quantities can be popped in a stovetop kettle in a home kitchen, commercial sale of freshly popped popcorn is done with the help of specially designed popcorn machines, which were originally invented in Chicago, Illinois by Charles Cretors in 1885. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Cretors successfully introduced his invention at the Columbian Exposition in 1893. The World's Columbian Exposition (also called The Chicago World's Fair) a World's Fair, was held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary Year 1893 ( MDCCCXCIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common At this same world's fair, F. W. Rueckheim introduced the first caramel corn; his brother, Louis, slightly altered the recipe and introduced it as Cracker Jack popcorn in 1896. Caramel corn is a confection made of Popcorn covered in Caramel or Molasses, creating a sweet crunchy treat Cracker Jack is a US brand of snack consisting of Caramel -coated Popcorn and Peanuts It is also well known for being packaged with a "Toy ^[9]

Cretors' invention introduced the first patented steam-driven popcorn machine that popped corn in oil. Previously, vendors popped corn by holding a wire basket over an open flame. At best, the result was a hot, dry, unevenly cooked confection. The Cretors' machine popped corn in a mixture of one-third clarified butter, two-thirds lard and salt. This mixture could withstand the 450°F temperature needed to pop corn and it did without producing much smoke. A fire under a boiler created steam that drove a small engine; that engine drove the gears, shaft, and agitator that stirred the corn and also powered the attention-attracting clown – the Toasty Roasty Man. A wire connected to the top of the cooking pan allowed the operator to disengage the drive mechanism, lift the cover and dump popped corn into the storage bin beneath. Exhaust from the steam engine was piped to a hollow pan below the corn storage bin and kept freshly popped corn uniformly warm for the first time ever.

An equally ingenious popcorn making device can still be seen on the streets of some Chinese cities today. The corn is poured into a large cast-iron cannister which is then sealed with a heavy lid and slowly turned over a curb-side fire in rotisserie fashion. When a pressure gauge on the cannister reaches a certain level, it is removed from the fire, a large canvas sack is put over the lid, and the seal is released. With a huge boom, all of popcorn explodes at once and is poured into the sack.

Individual consumers can also buy and use specialized popping appliances which typically generate no more than a gallon of popped corn per batch. Some of these appliances also accept a small volume of oil or melted butter to assist thermal transfer from a stationary heating element, but others (such as the one shown above) are "air poppers" which rapidly circulate heated air up through the interior, keeping the unpopped kernels in motion to avoid burning and blowing the popped kernels out through the chute. However, the great majority of popcorn sold for home consumption is now prepackaged with various flavoring agents for use in a microwave oven. One of these common artificial-butter flavorants, diacetyl, has been implicated in causing respiratory ailments. Diacetyl ( IUPAC Systematic name: butanedione or 23-butanedione) is a natural byproduct of fermentation. ^[10]

The Boy Scouts of America sell popcorn door-to-door as a primary fund-raiser, similar to Girl Scout cookies. Door-to-door is a Sales technique in which a Salesperson walks from one door of a house to another trying to sell a product or service to the general public Girl Scout cookies are any of several varieties of Cookies sold by Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA as a Fundraiser for their local scout units ^[11]

Old popcorn can be eaten the day after as a breakfast cereal and is essentially one of the first breakfast cereals. Corn flakes are said to have come about as a solution to market old popcorn as a breakfast item. Corn flakes are a popular Breakfast cereal originally manufactured by Kellogg's through the treatment of corn. Leftovers for this purpose should be unseasoned and kept in a sealed storage container.

Other uses

Popcorn, threaded onto a string, is used as a wall or Christmas tree decoration in some parts of North America, as well as on the Balkan peninsula. A Christmas tree, Yule tree, holiday tree or Tannenbaum (fir tree is one of the most popular Traditions associated with the celebration

Some shipping companies have experimented with using popcorn as a biodegradable replacement for expanded polystyrene packing material. Biodegradation is the process by which organic substances are broken down by the enzymes produced by living organisms Polystyrene ˌpɒliˈstaɪriːn ( IUPAC Polyphenylethene is an aromatic Polymer made from the aromatic Monomer Styrene However, popcorn has numerous undesirable properties as a packing material, including attractiveness to pests, flammability, higher cost and greater density than expanded polystyrene. A pest is an organism which has characteristics that are regarded by Humans as injurious or unwanted A more processed form of expanded corn foam has been developed to overcome some of these limitations. ^[12]

The world's largest popcorn ball was unveiled in October 2006 in Lake Forest, Illinois. Lake Forest is a city known for its affluence located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. It weighed 3,415 pounds (1550 kilograms), measured 8 feet (2. 4 m) in diameter and had a circumference of 24. 6 feet (8 m). ^[13]

Nutritional Value

Air-popped popcorn is naturally high in fiber, low in calories and fat, contains no sodium, and is sugar free, which makes it an attractive snack unless one is limiting carbohydrates. Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that move food through the Digestive system, absorbing water and easing Defecation. The actual fat, sugar, and sodium content depends on how the popcorn is prepared though and a naturally healthy snack can quickly become unhealthy.

Popcorn is included on the list of foods that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends not serving to children under four, because of the risk of choking. The American Academy of Pediatrics ( AAP) is an organization of Pediatricians physicians trained to deal with the medical care of infants children and adolescents Choking is the mechanical obstruction of the flow of air from the environment into the lungs It is one of the top causes for children choking to death (along with hotdogs and balloons). ^[14] Special "hulless" popcorn has been developed that offers an alternative for small children and for people with braces or other dental problems who may otherwise need to avoid popcorn.

See also

• Kettle corn
• Caramel corn
• Popcorn bag
• Popcorn brands
• Popcorn maker
• Butter salt
• Puffed grain

Notes

References

• Hallauer, Arnel R. (2001). Specialty Corns. CRC Press. ISBN 0849323770.  
• Lusas, Edmund W. ; Rooney, Lloyd W. (2001). Snack Foods Processing. CRC press. ISBN 1566769329.  
• Smith, Andrew F. (1999). Popped Culture: The Social History of Popcorn in America. University of South Carolina Press. ISBN 1570033005.  

External links

• Popcorn Board (U.S.)
• Wyandot Popcorn Museum, Marion, OH
• Kernel Exploding in Slow Motion