The most produced cereals in the world are corn and it has various uses. Corn is the staple food of many people around the world and a staple of animal feed. It is also used as a sweetener with high fructose in many processed foods. The main ingredients of corn oil are cornstarch and corn syrup. Corn can also be used to produce ethanol fuel. You may want to know which countries are the largest producers of corn in the world.
1. United States of America
The United States is the largest producer and exporter of corn in the world. In the United States, corn is grown in every season. A large percentage of it is consumed domestically, about half of which is devoted to animal feed.
2. China
In China, all domestically produced corn is consumed. If demand for corn remains high and supply declines, China may increase its corn imports.
3. Brazil
Brazil is a major producer of many products, including coffee, sugar and soy, and the third largest producer of corn in the world, and its main consumption is domestically.
4. Argentina
Argentina is a major producer of corn as well as an exporter of large quantities of it. National consumption of corn in this country is not even in the list of top 10 countries in the world.
5. Ukraine
Ukraine had a record corn production of 35.9 million tons in 2019.
After this informative introduction, we want to go to the fun and delicious part of corn, popcorn.
It may sound strange, but there is certainly nothing better than gathering together in front of a good movie with a big bowl of popcorn.
Salty, sweet or buttered popcorn is one of the most popular snacks.
In fact, this popular snack can be useful for us because it is high in fiber as a whole grain. It is also rich in simple carbohydrates that quickly raise serotonin levels and help you relax and improve your mood.
Just remember that if you want to make healthy popcorn, put aside salt and butter and heat your corn!
It might be interesting to know what happens when popcorn seeds are heated.
Corn kernels that are exposed to heat or microwaves and explode into large fluffy lumps.
The corn used for popcorn may be one of about 25 different species of Zea mays. . Popcorn corn kernels have a very hard shell and a hard outer endosperm, and inside there is a mass of moist, starchy and white endosperm. The optimum humidity is about 13.5%. When popcorn seeds are heated to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit (about 200 degrees Celsius), the moisture in the starch is converted to steam, creating pressure until the seeds explode from the inside out and form a fluffy mass. And irregular white, explode about 20 to 40 times more than the original state.
Popcorn corn is usually seasoned with butter and salt as a snack. It can be glazed with candy syrups with different flavors and colors that harden, or mixed with peanuts or almonds, and also covered with melted cheese.
Poppy seeds
There are two types of popcorn seeds, butterfly popcorn, sometimes called snow popcorn, and mushroom popcorn. Both types produce popcorn, which is unique in its structure.
Butterfly / Snowflake Popcorn:
Irregular shapes with light and fragile “wings” protruding from all sides.
It is softer, lighter and crispier than the mushroom model. To have the most crispness, it is better to serve fresh! Often used in cinemas, stadiums and carnivals.
The advantage of the non-uniform shape of this popcorn corn model allows you to fill the serving containers and serving sizes with less product.
Mushroom popcorn:
Compact and ball-shaped. Larger, denser and less brittle than a popcorn.
Its round shape and larger surface make it well resistant to mixing and coating processes.
Ideal for glazing applications where caramel, cheese, chocolate and other coatings or glazes are applied.
A variety of popcorn corn colors
Yellow popcorn:
The most common and least expensive types of popcorn, which has a slightly nutty taste.
White popcorn:
It has a neutral and pure popcorn taste and is great for adding flavor and seasoning.
Red popcorn:
When roasted, it cracks white and slightly smaller than other types. It has a soft and light skin and a slightly nutty taste.
Blue Popcorn:
This type of popcorn is similar to the type of red popcorn, it has a light and delicate shell with a unique and nutty taste.