Re: does frozen popcorn pop better than unfrozen popcorn?

Hello, Mr. Stavck.

To set up an experiment to test this, divide a new bag of popcorn in half and freeze part of it in an unsealed plastic bag or container. Keep the other half sealed, at room temperature. (In a more formal experiment, you would want to treat both samples the same - ie. sealed - but in this case, I assume that there is only a short storage time available. So, leaving the kernels exposed in the freezer will simulate a longer storage period.)

After a few days, have your daughter count out two equal piles of popcorn kernels - one from the frozen sample and one from the room temperature sample.

Under your supervision, pop one of the samples in hot oil. Decide beforehand a "seconds" interval for popping and continue until you no longer hear any kernels popping within this interval. For example, decide that you will continue popping until there are 5 seconds between the slowing pops. Pour the popped corn into a bowl to cool while you repeat this process with the other popcorn sample. (Maybe your daughter can sit on a stool, away from the pot, and time the popping while you actually tend to the hot oil and stove.)

Count the number of unpopped kernels left in the room temperature and the frozen samples. Compare the size of the popped kernels - use a measuring cup to compare the popped volume of the two samples.

I don't know how much difference will show up in the short time that your daughter has to leave the kernels in the freezer, but it certainly is not recommended that you store your popcorn in the freezer. The kernels tend to lose internal moisture when frozen for a period. This moisture is what causes the kernel to pop; it expands upon heating and the resulting pressure bursts the kernel open.

Thanks for being interested in your daughter's science project. If she sees science as the fun that it is, perhaps she will be answering Mad Scientist questions one day!

Carol Crouse
Food Technologist
The Food Chain Ltd.