1. The Popcorn Process

2. Popcorn FACTS
How many quarts of popcorn do Americans consume each year?
17.3 billion quarts of popped popcorn
How much popcorn does the average person eat per year?
68 quarts

3. Popcorn FACTS
Americans consume more popcorn than the citizens of any other country
January 30th is National Popcorn Day!

4. Popcorn FACTS
There are six types of corn
Popcorn is known as Zea mays everta
Only this type of corn will POP!

5. Popcorn History
Oldest popcorn discovered in New Mexico, USA (5,600 years old)
Native Americans grew hundreds of varieties, invented “poppers”, and wore popcorn as a decoration
Popcorn was served at the 1st Thanksgiving!

6. Popcorn History
Colonial settlers used as “puffed” cereal for breakfast
Popular during the depression and WWII due to its low cost

7. Important elements of popcorn
The hard shell (pericarp)
Moisture
inside pericarp
Starch

8. How popcorn “works”
When popcorn is heated, the moisture inside causes the pericarp to burst
The starch expands into “bubbles” which fuse together, creating the white, fluffy substance
This process will only occur if the correct amount of moisture is present

9. Types of Popcorn There are two main types of Popcorn Kernels
Butterfly kernels - large, light, and fluffy
Mushroom kernels - used for coating

10. Growing popcorn
Popcorn is planted between April 20th and May 10th usually
A soil temperature of 10-13°C (50-55°F) is necessary

11. Harvesting Popcorn
Popcorn is harvested when the kernel has moisture content of 16%-20%.
Popcorn that is too dry may not pop well
Popcorn that is too moist may spoil when stored

12. Summary Processing Harvest Moisture Destoner Shipping Packaging
Conditioning
Screen Cleaning
Moisture
Gravity Table
Dirt and Debris
Destoner
Optical Sorter
Bulk or Microwave popcorn
Shipping
Packaging
Cooled
Coated
Popped
Flavored Popcorn

13. Storing Popcorn Storing is also know as “conditioning”
Once picked, the corn must be dried until it reaches its optimum moisture level of 13.5% to 14%

14. Cleaning popcorn
Foreign material, broken kernels, corncobs, and dirt must be removed
Cleaning process consists mainly of three parts:
separating by size
Separating by lower/higher densities
optical sorting

15. Processing popcorn-step 1
Separating by Size uses a screen cleaner
Has 2 screens (1 large holes and 1 small holes)

16. Processing popcorn-step 2
Separating by lower/higher densities uses a shaking gravity table
Removes less dense cracked kernels & more dense dirt and stones

17. Processing popcorn-step 3
Optical Sorting separates kernels by color
Optical Sorter inspects all kernels

18. packaging Bulk and Microwave Popcorn
Must be packaged so that popcorn remains at the optimum moisture level
Plastic is commonly used

19. Flavored Popcorn
After cleaning, popcorn is popped, and while hot flavors are added in a large tumbling devise to coat the popcorn
The coated popcorn is cooled
The popcorn is then packaged and shipped

20. Which flavored popcorn is most people’s favorite?
Caramel!

21. With a Built-In Salt Shaker
                                                                                                                                       
With a Built-In Salt Shaker
                                                                                                                                       
With a Built-In Salt Shaker
                                                                                                                                       
With a Built-In Salt Shaker