From Kernels to Jet Engines: The Surprising Science Behind Microwave Popcorn

Hi everyone, it’s Steven Fox from Kernel Kravings. Today, I want to talk about the science that led from pretty popcorn kernels to the microwaveable snack we enjoy today. We almost take for granted the jar of popcorn we can make in mere minutes, but the series of inventions that made microwavable popcorn possible are really quite remarkable.

It all started with the development of jet engines. Jet engines heat their fuel with a stream of combustion air compressed in the engine, and engineers quickly realized that by redirecting this hot air, instead of pushing it down towards the ground, they could use it to dry grain, just like in an agricultural dryer.

In the 70s, microbiologists turned their attention to grain drying, and eventually agricultural by-products such as popcorn that can be dried by hot air. Today this same process is used in commercial microwave popcorn plants.

The process begins with popcorn kernels stored in a long, cylindrical drum. A jet engine-like machinery pumps air heated to around 200˚F into the drum, and the kernels rapidly heat up, reaching the same temperature as the hot air. The heat expand the kernels’ water molecules, turning them into steam and then into pressure that builds up and causes the kernels to pop. From there, the popcorn is cooled and seasoned for maximum deliciousness.

So there you have it - the surprising science behind microwave popcorn. Who would’ve thought that jet engines and kernel popping were so closely related?

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