Trivia
The key to popcorn's popping ability is, amazingly, water. Each popcorn kernel contains water, which most popcorn processors try to maintain at about a
13.5% level. The water is stored in a small circle of soft starch in each kernel. Surrounding the soft starch is a hard enamel-like starch. When the kernel is heated for popping, the water inside heats and begins to expand.
The function of the hard starch is to resist the water as long as possible. When the water expands with such pressure that the hard starch gives way, the water bursts out, causing the popcorn kernel to explode. The
soft starch pops out, and the kernel turns inside out.
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