National Popcorn Day
Published: January 19, 2024
From discoveries in ancient ruins of New Mexico to Biblical references about corn, the delicious puffed grain we know as "popcorn" dates back thousands of years. Many believe it was developed by breeding and crossbreeding wild grasses for centuries, while others believe it was prepared by Native Americans in their archeological digs. In the 16th century, popcorn was an essential food source for the Aztec and also used in their ceremonies. There are other accounts of kernels of popcorn found so well preserved in burial grounds in the deserts of North Chile that they would still pop after being over 1,000 years old.
During the 19th century, Americans tried many methods of popping corn. Before becoming the popular snack food it is today, during the 19th and 20th centuries, popcorn was eaten as a cereal, and popcorn balls were one of the most popular gift treats for holidays and celebrations.
Source: USDA Exhibit, "Popcorn Ingrained in Agricultural History"
Throughout the Great Depression, popcorn was an affordable luxury for families and made its way into the movie theaters. Charles Cretors, founder of C. Cretors and Company in Chicago, introduced the world's first mobile popcorn machine at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. The1980s brought microwavable popcorn into the popcorn family and home consumption increased tremendously. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Americans love popcorn and consume an average of 43 quarts per person, based on 2016-2020 statistics. Read more about the "Early History of Popcorn," the "Popcorn Explosion," and the process "From the Field to the Table" on the USDA website.
Did you know the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Popcorn Research and Promotion Programs operates as the Popcorn Board ? Since 1966, Congress has authorized industry-funded Research and Promotion (R&P) boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to develop new and strengthen existing markets, and conduct research and promotional activities. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight for these boards. In April 1996, the Popcorn, Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act was signed into law. In July 1997, the AMS issued the "Popcorn Promotion, Research and Consumer information Order" which created the program under the authority of the Act.
Some Corny Facts
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Americans consume some 14 billion* quarts of this whole grain, good-for-you treat. That’s 43 quarts per man, woman, and child.
Popcorn is a type of maize (or corn), a member of the grass family, and is scientifically known as Zea Mays Everta.
Popcorn differs from other types of maize/corn in that it has a thicker pericarp/hull. The hull allows pressure from the heated water to build and eventually bursts open. The inside starch becomes gelatinous while being heated; when the hull bursts, the gelatinized starch spills out and cools, giving it its familiar popcorn shape.
* Average based on 2016-2020 sales
Additional Article Sources and Resources
- In 2013, "Popcorn" was the name of one of the turkeys pardoned at the White House Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation Ceremony. Read Presidential remarks from that ceremony in the Compilation of Presidential Documents Collection.
- "Popcorn: Ingrained in America's Agricultural History" on the USDA website.
- Check out the National Institutes of Health experimental findings on "Popcorn: critical temperature, jump and sound."
- Take a look at the lesson plan "Popcorn Generation" on the Peace Corps website which makes use of popcorn to help students understand and explore the concepts of renewable and nonrenewable resources and their use over time.