Popcorn can be plain, buttered, or coated with sweet or savory topping. Microwaves and counter-top air poppers are common appliances for making this snack at home, but a study in the journal Food Science & Technology shows that it is possible to cook it in the microwave. The researchers were able to make a snack that people liked.
Home-sized pizza ovens and outdoor grills have become popular because of their ability to heat food quickly and evenly.
The method of cooking popcorn has been shown to be successful. To improve the method for this snack, the team developed a pilot popping system with a rotating chamber. They tested the new system with three different levels of heat power and found that 700 W produced the highest amount of fully or semi-popped kernels.
The popcorn from 700 W lamps scored over four on a five-point scale for acceptability, as determined by a sensory panel. The researchers say that their system can make popcorn in a more energy efficient way.
More information: Mahdi Shavandi et al, Continuous Infrared Popping: Effect on Key Physicochemical Attributes of Popcorn, ACS Food Science & Technology (2022). DOI: 10.1021/acsfoodscitech.2c00188
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