Cereal Chem. 71:461-463   |  VIEW ARTICLE


Individual Kernel Moisture Content of Preshelled and Shelled Popcorn and Equilibrium Isotherms of Popcorn Kernels of Different Sizes.

A. Song and S. R. Eckhoff. Copyright 1994 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Commercial ear popcorn was hand-shelled at 16.5 and 13.6% bulk moisture content. The individual kernel moisture content of ear popcorn increased from the tip to the butt. The maximum difference was four percentage points. No trend was observed in kernel moisture content around the same ring on the cob. Because of this finding, a survey was conducted of individual kernel moisture content for commercially packaged popcorn in glass jars. A wide range (11.5-16.8) of kernel moisture content was detected. This variation appears to be caused by factors such as growing conditions, mixture of hybrids, and postharvest processing and storage conditions, such as hysteresis caused by overdrying. In addition, an investigation was conducted to determine the equilibrium isotherms of two varieties of commercial shelled popcorn with different kernel sizes. No significant difference was found in equilibrium moisture content with respect to kernel sizes.