About National Popcorn Day
Archaeologists have discovered that people have known about popcorn for thousands of years. In Mexico, remnants of popcorn have been found that date back to circa 3600 BC, and fossil evidence from Peru suggests that corn may have been popped as early as 4700 BC.
It is also likely that popcorn was part of the first Thanksgiving meal.
Popcorn became a popular snack in the late 19th century after the invention of the first large-scale commercial popcorn machine by Charles Cretors.
From the Popcorn Board: All About Popcorn, Corny Facts:
“Americans consume some 15 billion quarts of this whole grain, good-for-you treat. That’s 47 quarts per man, woman, and child.
“Popcorn is a type of maize (or corn), a member of the grass family, and is scientifically known as Zea mays everta.
“Popcorn differs from other types of maize/corn in that it has a thicker pericarp/hull. The hull allows pressure from the heated water to build and eventually bursts open. The inside starch becomes gelatinous while being heated; when the hull bursts, the gelatinized starch spills out and cools, giving it its familiar popcorn shape.”
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