pstp food crop Popcorn or 'popping corn' is corn (maize) which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy filling. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive "pop" results As the oil and the water are heated past the boiling point, they turn the moisture in the kernel, which has a moisture-proof hull, into a superheated pressurized steam. Under these conditions, the starch inside the kernel gelatinizes, softens and becomes pliable. The pressure continues to increase until the breaking point of the hull is reached: a pressure of about 135 psi (930 kPa)[4] and a temperature of 180 °C (356 °F). 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. As the foam rapidly cools, the starch and protein polymers set into the familiar crispy puff.[4] - Thomas Page

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. - Thomas Page

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 off-yellow or 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.[13] 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. Commercial production is dominated by white and yellow.[14] - Thomas Page

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. Mushroom flakes are less fragile than butterfly flakes and are therefore often used for packaged popcorn or confectionery, such as caramel corn.[14] 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.[14] Growing conditions and popping environment can also affect the butterfly-to-mushroom ratio. - Thomas Page

Scent: Popcorn smell has an unusually attractive quality for human beings. This is largely because it contains high levels of the chemicals http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki... and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki..., very powerful aroma compounds ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki... ) that are used by food and other industries to make products that either smell like popcorn (or bread, or other foods containing the compound in nature), or for other purposes. - Thomas Page

A very different method of popcorn-making can still be seen on the streets of some Chinese cities today.http://cooking.videosift.com/video... http://www.youtube.com/watch... The corn is poured into a large cast-iron canister- sometimes called a 'popcorn hammer'- that is then sealed with a heavy lid and slowly turned over a curbside fire in rotisserie fashion. When a pressure gauge on the canister 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 the popcorn explodes at once and is poured into the sack.[7][8][9 - Thomas Page

National Popcorn Day http://www.popcorn.org/AboutUs... - Thomas Page

10 -12 Puffed Rice ( aromatics ) http://friendfeed.com/citizen... ,3 -27 Puffed_rice_cakes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki... Ricecakes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki... - Thomas Page

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http://www.sciencedaily.com/release... http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/popcorn http://www.weightwatchers.com/util... http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/healthy... [ Good, Bad, and Ugly- Movie Butter - microwave grease - Thomas Page