No country grows or consumes more popcorn than the United States and only one state, Nebraska, produces more popcorn than Indiana. Consequently, it’s surprising that in 2019, only 75,000 of Indiana’s 5 million corn acres contained popcorn. The hard outer hull of popcorn, called the pericarp, explains why 1.5 percent of the state’s corn pops while none of the rest can. Bruce Hamaker, distinguished professor of food science and Roy L. Whistler Chair, found that the best popping kernels have a stronger pericarp, maximizing moisture retention.
February 11, 2020