Popcorn and College Students
This topic submitted by Kirsten Skinner, Jen Saum, Kristen Delap, Bryan Galli at 11:03 am on 11/13/01. Additions were last made on Friday, April 19, 2002. Section: Wagner
Kristen DeLap
Bryan Galli
Jen Saum
Kirsten Skinner
POPCORN AND COLLEGE STUDENTS
ABSTRACT
To excite students about the scientific approach to viewing the natural world, laboratory exercises that rely on personal observation such as data collection and statistical interpretation will be explored. Students are asked to 1) Count popcorn, 2) determine, through statistics, the percent of popped kernels in the bag, and 3) decide whether the stated hypothesis is true: Orville Redenbacher’s Butter is the brand and type of popcorn that pops the most kernels. Not only is this an educational experience, but it gives students a chance to consume America’s number one snack food.
INTRODUCTION
In dorms across the country, popcorn can be smelled up and down the halls every evening. College students are most likely one of the top buyers of this snack. We have decided to determine which brand and type of microwave popcorn yield the most popped kernels, in order to save college students valuable money. Popcorn is truly the best snack for college students because it is lower in fat than snacks like candy and chocolate. It can also contain less sodium than potato chips and pretzels, according to the Department of Health and Nutrition (“Popcorn Handbook”). Popcorn is relatively quick to prepare, and takes minimal effort. This is prime for students, as they can put a bag in the microwave and continue their work.
Not only is popcorn easy to prepare and healthy, it is also extremely popular among Americans. Americans consume more than 17 billion quarts of popped corn a year – about 68 quarts for each person, according to an article from USA Weekend (2001). According to the same article, popcorn’s origins can be traced back to New Mexico, more than 5,600 years ago. Popcorn differs from regular corn only because of the larger size kernels. Of the six different types of grain corn, only popcorn, a cereal grain, can be popped. This is due to a small drop of water in each kernel, surrounded by starch. When the corn is heated, the water turns to steam, and pressure builds. The kernel explodes as the starch inflates, inverting the kernel (USA Weekend 2001).
The hypothesis is that one brand and type of popcorn yields more popped kernels than other brands. Based on reputation, we believe that Orville Redenbacher Butter will yield the most popped kernels. Orville Redenbacher was the first person to manufacture popcorn in the United States, in Valparaiso, IN, therefore making his company the most knowledgeable about popcorn popping (www.popcorn.com). The Null hypothesis is that there will be no statistical difference in the number of kernels that pop between the brands tested. Through this experiment, we can educate college students on which brand pops the best, therefore saving them money.
RELEVANCE
Many different brands and types of popcorn are available on your grocer’s shelves, such as Orville Redenbacher, Pop Secret, Act II, and a generic grocer brand, all offered in light, regular, and butter. All of these brands claim different slogans and catch phrases in order to sway the consumer into purchasing their product. We hope to decipher which of these slogans tells the truth regarding which brand and type pops the most kernels. Our goal is to cut through possible false advertising, and educate students on which brand has the most kernel efficiency.
The prediction about popping efficiency comes from the Orville Redenbacher Company’s reputations. Orville Redenbacher claims to be the best brand because they have over 40 years of experience making popping corn under the title “gourmet.” Continuous hybrid research and development gives Redenbacher its delicious taste and superb pop-ability. Redenbacher claims to have an innovative bag that leaves fewer unpopped kernels and lighter, fluffier popcorn (Redenbacher Popcorn Box).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The purpose of this experiment is to test multiple brands and types of popcorn under the same conditions in order to determine which one statistically pops the most kernels. We plan to test the light, regular and butter varieties of Orville Redenbacher, Pop Secret, Act II, and Kroger brands of popcorns. Thus, there will be twelve different popcorns to compare. The different bags of popcorn will be popped in the same microwave for the same amount of time, three minutes and fifteen seconds. Then, the kernels left in the bag will be counted, as well as the popped corn, in order to determine a ratio. Then the ratios of all the bags will be compared to determine which bag yields the most popped corn.
The entire class will be involved in the experiment by gathering the data. Our group will pop the bags of popcorn, to be sure to regulate all the variables, and then bring the bags to class. Each group will open the bags from one brand and count the kernels by hand. Therefore, each group will have a light, regular, and butter bag of popcorn of each brand to count. The groups will return the data sheets, and we will analyze the data. The statistical method used to analyze the data will be to find a ratio between the number of kernels in the bag and the number of popped corns. To find this, the number of the actual popped corns will be divided by the total number of kernels in the bag. The ratios and percents will then be compared.
The class should complete the following steps while performing the popcorn lab:
1) Open one bag at a time
2) Count the number of popped kernels – Popped corns are any broken kernels
3) Count the number of unpopped kernels - Unpopped kernels constitute an intact kernel
4) Record data on data sheet
5) Calculate the percentage by dividing the number of the actual popped corns by the total number of kernels in the bag
6) Eat the popcorn
This is an example of the data sheet that each group will use to record data.
Popcorn Kernel Study Brand
________
Number of non popped Kernels Number of Popped Corns Total Number of Kernels % of Kernels Popped
Light
Regular
Butter
The materials are twelve bags of popcorn and a microwave.
REFERENCES
Decareau, Robert V. “Microwaves in the food processing industry” Orlando, FL:
Academic Press, 1985.
“Don’t Know Much About Popcorn” USA Weekend: Sept. 28-30, 2001.
Orville Redenbacher Gourmet Butter Popcorn Box, Exp. Date June 2002.
Popcorn website, www.popcorn.org, accessed on September 29, 2001.
Ramo, Simon. “Introduction to Microwaves” New York, NY: McGraw Hill, 1945.
Smith, Andrew F. “Popped culture: a social history of popcorn in America,” Columbia,
S.C.: Univ. of SC Press, 1999.
US Dept of Agriculture, “Popcorn Handbook,” Federal Crop Insurance Corporation,
Product Development Branch.
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