Microwave popcorn

Microwave popcorn bag from ConAgra, unpopped state

Microwave popcorn bag, popped state

Microwave popcorn is a convenience food consisting of unpopped popcorn in an engineered, enhanced, sealed paper bag intended to be heated in a microwave oven. In addition to the dried corn the bags typically contain solidified cooking oil, one or more seasonings (often salt), and artificial flavorings.

Design

The bag is typically partially folded when it is placed in a microwave, and inflates as a result of steam pressure from the heated kernels.

The design of a microwave popcorn bag is specifically keyed to avoid popped kernel scorching, an undesirable effect that takes place when popped kernels are heated above 300 °F (149 °C).

A susceptor, usually a metalized film laminated onto the paper of the bag, absorbs microwaves and concentrates heat at the film interface, thus ensuring a heat distribution focused on the hard-to-heat flavor coating so that the unpopped kernels are evenly coated prior to popping, thereby ensuring even flavor throughout the product.

An early susceptor popcorn bag design was patented by the American company General Mills in 1981 (US Patent #4,267,420).

Safety issues

Care in package design is needed for food safety.

Home-made alternatives

Popcorn may also be microwave popped in a plain paper bag, if the top is securely closed first

It is possible to heat popcorn in the microwave using simple paper bags, or popping the popcorn in the microwave in other containers including large glass bowls with heavy, but not airtight glass lids. Both of these home made approaches remove the threat of exposure to artificial flavoring and PFOA, but have a chance of leaving some corn kernels unpopped due to randomness of the microwave radiation distribution in a microwave. However, it is possible to cook the unpopped kernels a second time.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Kettle corn
• Popcorn maker

External links

• Microwave popcorn patent dispute between General Mills and Hunt-Wesson