Arch_Angel
April 22, 2005, 02:37 AM
Purdue University researchers say they have unlocked the secret of popcorn.
Scientist have long known that popcorn kernels must have moisture inside to pop but now they've found out why you always have some un-popped ones in the bottom of the bag.
There's nothing like the smell, the sound, the sight of popcorn popping.
Unless, you are the one eating it.
"It's light," said popcorn lover Linda Nash, "I like butter and salt on it and it's a good snack."
Of course the big problem with popcorn is when you get to the bottom of the bag you end up with a handful of unpopped kernels, but Purdue university researchers say they've found out why that happens and they may become a thing of the past."
The problem with the unpopped kernels is that the hulls are leaky and let the moisture escape.
To put an end to "old maids" we need thicker hulls, right?
Wrong, say the popcorn professionals at Black Jewel Popcorn.
"We have a thin hull and when it pops it doesn't pop quite as big as the yellow popcorn," said Black Jewel President Carole Klein, "but it all shatters and you don't get so much of that hull caught in your teeth."
Klein says after 20 years in the popcorn business, they've found "old maids" are the unfortunate expense of getting the right taste.
"Some old maids," she said, "we don't have a lot of old maids in our popcorn."
So, researcher's might have some more work to do before they perfect popcorn to everyone's satisfaction..
"it would be wonderful if it would all pop," said Nash.
In the meantime, we'll have to tolerate a little imperfection in one of our favorite snacks.
The Purdue Researches tested 14 brands of microwave popcorn and found cheaper brands have up to 47% unpopped kernels while more expensive brands only had 4%.
Source: http://www.wthitv.com/newsdet.asp?id=8485
Scientist have long known that popcorn kernels must have moisture inside to pop but now they've found out why you always have some un-popped ones in the bottom of the bag.
There's nothing like the smell, the sound, the sight of popcorn popping.
Unless, you are the one eating it.
"It's light," said popcorn lover Linda Nash, "I like butter and salt on it and it's a good snack."
Of course the big problem with popcorn is when you get to the bottom of the bag you end up with a handful of unpopped kernels, but Purdue university researchers say they've found out why that happens and they may become a thing of the past."
The problem with the unpopped kernels is that the hulls are leaky and let the moisture escape.
To put an end to "old maids" we need thicker hulls, right?
Wrong, say the popcorn professionals at Black Jewel Popcorn.
"We have a thin hull and when it pops it doesn't pop quite as big as the yellow popcorn," said Black Jewel President Carole Klein, "but it all shatters and you don't get so much of that hull caught in your teeth."
Klein says after 20 years in the popcorn business, they've found "old maids" are the unfortunate expense of getting the right taste.
"Some old maids," she said, "we don't have a lot of old maids in our popcorn."
So, researcher's might have some more work to do before they perfect popcorn to everyone's satisfaction..
"it would be wonderful if it would all pop," said Nash.
In the meantime, we'll have to tolerate a little imperfection in one of our favorite snacks.
The Purdue Researches tested 14 brands of microwave popcorn and found cheaper brands have up to 47% unpopped kernels while more expensive brands only had 4%.
Source: http://www.wthitv.com/newsdet.asp?id=8485