Popcorn

Popcorn (also: popcorn, pop corn ) is serving as a snack food, which is prepared by strong heating of a special maize.

Origin

Popcorn comes from the Americas. When popcorn has been prepared for the first time, but is not exactly known. But it is certain that the natives of South America, there were already eating - and also used as jewelry - as Christopher Columbus in 1492 there went ashore. In addition, it is known that it was common there as a religious act, to determine the future depending on the shape of the popped corn grain (similar to the lead casting of the Romans ). Also at least 4000 years old Puffmaiskörner were found during excavations, so it is assumed that popcorn was much earlier part of the Indian diet. During the Great Depression in the 1930s it became parallel with the rise of cinema in the U.S. and later the world to the popular snack.

Processes in the formation of popcorn

The contained in corn starchy storage tissue, called the endosperm, has a solid back outwards and inwards towards soft consistency. In it, water is bound. If the corn is heated to about 200 ° C, the water changes its physical state from liquid to gas, and there is water vapor. As water vapor occupies a much larger volume: Under normal conditions arise from a milliliter of fluid more than 1.6 liters of steam. Water normally boils at 100 ° C; but under pressure it remains liquid despite a rising temperature. At about 200 ° C the dense shell of the corn grain can no longer withstand the pressure of the water contained in the maize kernel. She bursts and softened by the heat and the pressure strength expands rapidly in the foamy structure of endosperm tissue from, but cools instantly and solidifies.

Preparation

For making popcorn just a special maize (Zea mays convar. Microsperma Koern. ) Is suitable, namely popcorn. Although popcorn has a very thin, but hard and something glasigere shell as conventional maize. After the production of popcorn often remain parts of the shell to adhere to the final product. Popcorn is very economical. A handful of them results in a large bowl of popcorn. Ungepoppten popcorn you get in the grocery trade.

With conventional maize, which is grown primarily for the production of starch or animal feed, it is very difficult or even impossible to produce popcorn. Normal corn kernels are either too dry or too soft, causing the inside bound, heated water can build up very little pressure. If damaged, the water can escape directly through openings.

Methods of preparation

A simple type of popcorn preparation is to heat with hot oil in a pan or a pot. Besides using a commercial popcorn machine at fairs and in the movies, there are several types of household formulators:

• Ordinary high pot of very hot oil. When the oil has reached its maximum heat ( it will start to smoke ), cover the pan bottom with a thin layer of corn and also optionally sprinkle some pinches of salt or sugar. Once many grains burst simultaneously (" popping " ), shake the pot vigorously every 20 seconds. When the popping subsides, remove the pot from the fire and the finished caramelized popcorn into another vessel - give - for example a bowl.
• Special pot with hand crank for the stove. An oil addition is necessary. It has to be cranked during preparation to keep the corn in constant motion. There is a risk of overheating and of burning of popcorn. Devices of this type have been around 100 years and longer.
• Popcorn machine with hot plate. Here, the hot plate is integrated in the device. A stirring mechanism keeps popcorn moving. Only low risk of overheating. The device cover can be used as a serving bowl. Only minor Öl-/Fettbeigabe necessary.

In both machines mentioned so far can be made popcorn according to different recipes and with many additions. Are you into sugar, you get caramelized popcorn, which is not accessible by the devices described below.

• Hot air machine. The device is similar in function to a hair dryer. Instead of the nozzle there is a small bowl of popcorn, is blown through the hot air from below. The finished popcorn escaping through an opening in a bowl. Salt or sugar must be added to the finished popcorn in the bowl. So best suited for fat-free popcorn "nature."
• Microwave. Simply heat the popcorn in a closed paper bag in the microwave. There are also special dishes and microwave popcorn. With plastic containers you have to make sure that they are heat resistant. Some microwavable containers hold only up to 150 ° C from. Such vessels can be damaged, since popcorn is hot.

Additives

Popcorn is sugared or salted caramel. In the United States, Austria, Spain and South America in particular and provided with salted butter flavored popcorn is the rule; spread is in addition also caramelized popcorn. The usual sugared popcorn in Germany, however, is virtually unknown in the United States but is a sweet and salty variant, " Kettle corn", widely used in recent years.

Ingredients

A hot- air popcorn made ​​- that is, without any addition of sugar, fat / butter or salt - is, as its starting material, very high in fiber - that is, aids in digestion - and has a low sodium content. 100 grams popcorn ( energy content: 1,598 kJ, that is 382 kcal) containing about 78 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat and oil, 12 g protein, 0.2 mg of vitamin B1, 0.3 mg vitamin B2 and 2.7 mg of iron.

Popcorn commercially

For many people, the simultaneous consumption of popcorn is a prerequisite for a successful theater experience. Almost every movie has a popcorn stand. The food retail sector has popped corn in various forms of packaging. There are tubular bags that you often get even at the fair, as well as small and large plastic bucket with tight lid closure. For young children there are also toys made of plastic, with only parts of it are filled with popcorn; This popcorn is usually brightly colored with food coloring and fine grained much.

Popcorn as a packaging material

Fat free popcorn distension is partially used instead of foam flakes as filling material for packages to protect the goods to be shipped from damages during transportation. After the delivery of goods, this popcorn can then reuse or compost as livestock or bird food.