Ear of popcorn in field
Ear of popcorn with kernels and popped kernals
Bowl of hull-less popcorn
Did you know...
What makes corn pop?
Popcorn kernels contain at least 14% water. Under heat, the water expands into steam, causing the starchy interior of the kernel to explode. When moisture in the kernel falls below 12%, you get duds or old maids. Good popcorn should yield less than 2% unpopped kernels.
Store popcorn in an airtight jar or plastic bag in a cool place. Avoid storing it in the refrigerator—the dry air in a refrigerator causes kernels to dry out quickly.
Types of Corn:
What do you think of when you look at a corn field? Popcorn? Corn flakes? Sweet corn? Did you know that popcorn and sweet corn come from different plants? The following is one common type of corn, with the scientific name following the common name.
POPCORN (Zea mays everta)
Popcorn, a type of flint corn, has a soft starchy center surrounded by a very hard exterior shell. When popcorn is heated the natural moisture inside the kernel turns to steam that builds up enough pressure for the kernel to explode. When the kernel explodes the white starchy mass that you like to eat forms. All types of corn will pop to some degree, but they won't necessarily have enough starch to turn inside out, or an outside layer that will create enough pressure to explode. One of the oldest forms of corn, evidence of popcorn from 3600 B.C. was found in New Mexico!