IT'S everyone's favourite cinema snack, and let's face it, nothing screams show time more than popcorn.
But have you ever stopped to think how the tasty snack is actually made?
Well, if the answer is no, it turns out you're not alone!
People are only just realising that popcorn is actually it's own type of corn – and their minds are blown.
In a clip from Discovery UK show 'How It's Made,' the narrator heads to a factory to reveal exactly how popcorn goes from a pea-sized kernel to a puffy white treat in just minutes.
"Popcorn is one of six types of corn and it's the only kind that pops," the foodie explains.
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"They even breed the popcorn plant to enhance traits like colour, taste and popability."
He goes on to note that when the crop is ready to harvest in Autumn, it has a moisture content of 16-20%.
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"That's a bit too high so to bring it down to 14%, they condition the crop in these giant bins, pumping warm air up through it to accelerate the drying," he explains.
The narrator goes on to say how it's a critical step because popcorn that's too dry may not pop – and if it's too wet, it can spoil once stored.
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In the factory, a series of oscillating screens can then be seen sifting chunks of carbon broken kernels out of the popcorn, while vacuum pipes pull the finer impurities to a dust collector and suck the larger impurities into a shoot.
"They end up in a waste bin to be discarded or used in animal feed," he points out.
Next, the clever system funnels the filtered popcorn in one direction and the impurities in another.
"The purification process continues at the gravity table," he continues.
"Its vibrating action, along with powerful fans, cause the popcorn to rise and float on air.
"In the process, kernels that are too heavy or too light gravitate away from the centre and are shunted aside."
The narrator then notes how the samples of the optical size kernels are tested by mixing 1/2 lb of kernels along with water and oil.
"As the pot reaches 446°F, the water in the kernels start to steam and those kernels turn inside out, revealing the starchy part of the kernel and creating the white fluffy part," he says.
"To pass the test, the popcorn has to expand 44 and a half times the original volume."
And after learning about the journey of popcorn, people were left in shock – with many admitting the same thing.
"I honestly did not know that popcorn was it’s own unique corn type," wrote one.
A second penned: "When you think about it…popcorn is a vegetable."
A third quipped: "Imagine cooking corn and it starts popping."
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Meanwhile, a fourth noted: "I was actively intrigued by ALL of this….. I’m getting old."
And a further added: "Whoever tried to cook some fried corn for the first time was probably quite startled when it turned into cotton."
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