Popcorn Processing Facts

Most of the world eats American-grown popcorn

Americans eat 16 billion quarts of popcorn annually. Most of the popcorn eaten anywhere in the world is grown in the United States. Popcorn is processed and packaged in bulk, microwave and ready-popped forms.

Conditioning

Popcorn is a whole grain of the maize family. Of the four commonly known types of corn, only popcorn pops. This is because its hull is the right thickness to burst open. Once the popcorn is harvested, it is stored and air-dried until it reaches the right moisture level for maximum "popping." For top quality popcorn, the kernel moisture should be between 13 percent and 14.5 percent. This process is called "conditioning."

Cleaning

The popcorn is cleaned and any dirt or broken kernels removed. Kernels are then sorted by size. The popcorn passes over screens with holes, and the correct sized kernels fall through. A gravity table removes any remaining flawed kernels and a destoner extracts any foreign objects that escaped the first cleaning stage. Both these machines use air and vibration to separate the good kernels from the rejects and dirt.

Packing

In the final stage, the popcorn is passed under an optical sorter. This machine inspects the kernels and removes defective ones with a blast of air. The popcorn is then ready for packaging as either bulk or microwave popcorn. Appropriate packaging is necessary for each type to maintain correct moisture levels: plastic for bulk popcorn and paper for the microwave type. Ready-popped popcorn is processed in a bulk popping machine. The hot popcorn is tumbled in a machine to coat it evenly with flavoring. It is then cooled and packaged.

References

• Encyclopedia Popcornica: Industry Facts
• Encyclopedia Popcornica: The Science of Popcorn