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Scientists Solve Riddle of Unpopped Popcorn
Kozar_The_Malignant writes "CNN is reporting that scientists have solved the problem of unpopped popcorn kernels left in a bag or bowl. The short answer is that unpopped kernels have leaky hulls (seed coats) that prevent the buildup of sufficient pressure to cause the pop. The research has been published online and will appear in the July 11 edition of the journal BioMacromolecules. From the article: 'In the varieties popped, the percentage of unpopped kernels ranged from 4 percent in premium brands to 47 percent in the cheaper ones.' So buying the good stuff for home use is probably worth it."
Not necessarily true. The quality of kernels is of minor concern, major concern is time to market and freshness. Keep your unpopped corn in a sealed container to maintain humidity level and keep it fron drying out. Microwave popcorns aren't all going to be equal, either, as the oil/salt compositions will vary which affect the hulls of kernels. I've found microwave popcorn has a very short shelflife compared to plain kernel corn. Freshly opened popcorn has fewer 'widows and orphans' than older corn, especially corn which has been left exposed to air.
Like all things, popcorn engineered to look better or pop better in a microwave isn't necessarily your best tasting corn, either. I only buy microwave corn when I feel I need some for within the next few days and usually not just for myself. If eating popcorn at home I'm more likely to air pop some good stuff and put on real butter and use actual popcorn salt (not that table salt which is appearing in cheaper theaters everywhere.)
I don't have a paper on this anywhere, but I have had considerable experience popping corn, particularly in college where it helped absorb lots of beer. Naturally popcorn which comes in jars is going to fare better than that in plastic bags, but how old the kernels are is the most decisive factor and a higher end popcorn distributor is more likely to have better packaging. A more porous hull is likely to dry out faster or be weakened by contact with hydrogenated oils in any case. Your 4% to 47% is most likely attributable to quality of packaging, how long the product took to get to market and how long it stayed on the shelf (including shelf time at home.) Granted, better advertised brands are more likely to move through distribution and stores than generic brands, which may give it some edge.
What's more near and dear to my heart, when I shell several zorkmids at the bijou for my greasy paper bag is what the fsck they're putting on the corn. Most of those butter replacements are horrible and concession stands should be required to post a warning that their 'Butter' isn't butter at all but a blended gookum of vegetable oils. There's only one theater left in my area which still uses genuine butter.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
I pop my corn the old fashioned way. Heat, oil, and stirring. I've never seen anything worse than 5% old maids. In fact, the cheap popcorn often works best for this method of popcorn (harder shells, bigger pops). If you're really serious about yield throw out your microwave and go back to the basics. It's cheaper, tastes better, you have more control over the additives, it never burns like a microwave, and the yield is superior to microwaves.
and I just wasted all my mod points on that great email database story! I would much rather have them back for this earth shattering news.
Obama is a twitter sock puppet
Those must be some BORED scientists...
Really... who thinks it's THAT important to find out? And has access to equipment...
Show this to your friends and family that don't know what a real hacker is
So I'm guessing we've also solved that cancer thing or that AIDs thing already. Right?
Anything having to do with kernel reliability is always on-topic at Slashdot. /ducks
include $sig;
1;
I imagine it would just be a simple task for most slashdotters to patch their kernels...
Karma: Excellent Birds (mostly as a result of listening to Laurie Anderson)
The Professional Organization Of Popcornpoppers has announced a $10,000 reword for the article in the 1954 "Poppers Life" where Orville Redenbacher declares that every tine a kernel pops it doubles in size.
As mentioned, plain kernel corn lasts quite a while on the shelf, if properly stored. With an air popper, I usually get about 3-4 bad-popped kernels, but even they usually have opened up a little. I use the cheapest brand kernels I can buy.
The best part is the cost. The microwave popcorn with 6 3.5oz bags in it costs the same as a 4lb bag of plain kernels. Also, I can spend my money on better-tasting butters specially designed for popcorn.
So with an air popper, I get fewer bad kernels, just over three times the amount of corn, and I can control the salt and butter amounts.
I don't understand why people use microwaves rather than a cheap air popper.
frob
//TODO: Think of witty sig statement
An hot air popper I paid $3 for at a flea market leaves at most a couple kernels unpopped from enough corn I put in to make about five liters of popcorn. These never burn popcorn either, since once a kernel pops, it is blown away from the hottest bottom of the machine by the airflow. However leaky kernels are, usually the heat at the bottom will generate pressure faster than can be relieved -- the machine can reach very high temperatures, as I know since I use it to roast coffee beans as well.
"Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason."