The Incorrigible Popcorn Eater

Do not preach to the popcorn eater.

 

The reason why adverts manage to imprint brand names on our brains is that our lips and the tongue automatically simulate the pronunciation of a new name when we first hear it. Every time we re-encounter the name, our mouth subconsciously practises its pronunciation. [...]

However ... this "inner speech" can be disturbed by chewing, rendering the repetition effect redundant. [...]

"The mundane activity of eating popcorn made participants immune to the pervasive effects of advertising," said Sascha Topolinski, one of the researchers.

He goes as far as implying that his research may spell the end of the traditional popcorn machine in cinema foyers. "This finding suggests that selling candy in cinemas actually undermines advertising effects, which contradicts present marketing strategies. In the future, when promoting a novel brand, advertising clients might consider trying to prevent candy being sold before the main movie."

The source.

 

Popocorn [sic] kernels contain oil and water with starch, surrounded by a hard and strong outer coating. When popcorn is heated, the water inside the kernel tries to expand into steam, but it cannot escape through the seed coat (the popcorn hull). The hot oil and steam gelatinizes the starch inside the popcorn kernel, making it softer and more pliable. When the popcorn reaches a temperature of 180 °C (356 °F) the pressure inside the kernel is around 135 psi (930 kPa), which is sufficient pressure to rupture the popcorn hull, essentially turning the kernel inside-out. The pressure inside the kernel is released very quickly, expanding the proteins and starch inside the popcorn kernel into a foam, which cools and sets into the familiar popcorn puff.

The source.

Comments

[Laura Ebke]

Maybe it's a liberty loving thing, but I have a terrible time walking away from popcorn, as well.

You've now turned my popcorn eating into science, though. I'd never stopped to think about how or why--just how much I enjoyed....

The marketing piece is interesting, though. While we don't go to the movies that often, popcorn is my snack of choice.

[Georg Thomas]

I love popcorn too. However, they are as dangerous - to me - as Gummibärchen (gummy bear): I can't stop eating the stuff until the entire supply is gone.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/former-haribo-leader-hans-riegel-dies-at-90-a-928034.html#ref=rss

[Laura Ebke]

While there's nothing like the full throttled taste of popcorn popped in that coconut or peanut oil (whichever is the stuff that they say is really bad for you), drenched in the fake butter at the theater, at home, we use the air popper, and when I'm feeling righteous (or am short on butter to melt), I spray it down with a canola oil butter flavored spray. Few calories, and won't clog my arteries as badly, they say.

[Georg Thomas]

Oh, ohhh, what have we got here?

http://foodbeast.com/2013/10/16/popcorn-butter-hack/