Popcorn is used primarily for human consumption as a favorite nutritious snack food and is becoming more and more popular over time. Like other corn types, yield is very important, but popping expansion has to be good as well. High expansion volume is associated with in- creased kernel palatability and tenderness (Dofing, Thomas-Compton, & Buck, 1990).
Popping volume depends on many factors such as moisture content, genotype, physical properties of ker- nel, popping method, popping temperature, harvesting and handling practices. However, among all factors affecting expansion volume, moisture content is the most critical factor, because it affects the rate and extent of pressure build up in starch granules (Hoseney, Zeleznak,
& Abdelrahman, 1983). So far, much research has been carried out in the area of moisture content and its effects on expansion volume. Studies have shown that maxi- mum popping volume is produced at moisture ranging