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Increasing the “POP” in Popcorn

This article discusses a team's efforts to increase the size of popcorn flakes by reducing pressure, making it more desirable for consumers and profitable for producers. It also explores the history of popcorn, the popping process, and experimental techniques used to achieve the goal.

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Increasing the “POP” in Popcorn

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  1. Increasing the “POP” in Popcorn Advisor - Dr. Paul V. Quinn Sr. T.A. - AJ Pyle Team Members Mrinalini Basu, Steven Chen, Jeffery Conti, Varun Ganesan, Giselle Hsu, Tracie Kong, Mark Massaro, William Talbot, Nikhil Yegya-Raman, Darvin Yi, Kaicen Zhu

  2. Introduction • Primary Goal: Increase size of popcorn flakes by reducing pressure • Desirable for consumers • Profitable for producers • Added benefits • Decrease popping time • Decrease kernel waste

  3. Popcorn: Past and Present • Scientific Name: Zea Mays Averta • Originates in Americas • Popping was main way Natives cooked corn • Used by Aztecs in 16th century as food and religious decoration

  4. Popcorn: Past and Present • 1893: Charles Cretor’s steam-powered popcorn machine • Popcorn boom during Great Depression • 5-10 cents per bag, was relatively cheap • Invention of microwave and television moved popcorn from theaters to home

  5. Popcorn: Past and Present • 1990s: microwavable popcorn sales average $240 million annually • 70% of popcorn eaten at home • 2005: Annual sale of popcorn = $1,007,680,708 • 17 billion quarts consumed per year

  6. Theory Pericarp Inside kernel: mixture of starch and moisture surrounded by pericarp Starch and Moisture

  7. The Popping Process • Heat added => trapped moisture vaporizes and expands • Pi increases until Pi= PY • Pericarp breaks => water vapor and starch expand • When Pvapor = Pf expansion stops Pi Pf PY Pf

  8. Adiabatic Expansion • No heat transfer • Accepted value for water vapor: γ = 1.33 • Our goal: maximize Vf • Pfdecreases => Vf increases

  9. Industry Values

  10. Microwave

  11. Apparatus- Diagram

  12. Procedure

  13. Movie Popper

  14. Apparatus- Diagram

  15. Procedure

  16. Procedure continued

  17. Stove Popper

  18. Apparatus- Diagram

  19. SUCCESS!

  20. Experimental Uncertainties • General • Kernel variation • Estimated Volume Measurement • Microwave • Bag expansion • Microwave Power • Movie Popper • Unpopped kernels • Unsteady pressure • Stove Popper • Thermometer inaccuracy • “Hot Spots” on mesh

  21. Conclusion • Original Goal: Increase size of popcorn • π for microwave popper surpassed industry • 9.83 cc/flake vs. 8.00 cc/flake • σ for microwave popper surpassed industry • 45.5 cc/g vs. 45.0 cc/g • ω for stove and movie poppers surpassed industry • 2.8% and 2.1% vs. 6.8% waste

  22. Acknowledgements • We would like to thank • NJGSS • Dr. M • John and Laura Overdeck

  23. Questions?

  24. Derivation

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