Effect of Water and Salts on Popping Quality of Corn Variety-Azad Uttam

Laboratory experiments were conducted with various volumes of water (8ml, 10ml, 12ml, 14ml, 16ml, 18ml and 20ml) soaked/dipped corn grains and also corn grains soaked/dipped in various concentrations (8%, 10%, 12%, 14%16%, 18% & 20%) of different salts such as sodium sulphate, sodium carbonate and potassium sulphate to enhance the popping quality of corn variety-Azad Uttam. The range of variability of moisture content, bulk density, popping percentage, weight loss during popping and expansion volume ranged from 8.480–10.46%, 0.141–0.175g/ml, 75–91%, 0.32–1.92% and 100–204 ml, respectively. The soaked/dipped grains of corn variety-Azad Uttam in water gave highest expansion volume at 14% moisture level. However, among the various concentrations of different salts, potassium sulphate soaked/dipped grains of corn showed the highest expansion volume at 12% concentration level. Bulk density of corn grains soaked/dipped in water at various concentrations decreased in comparison to control. Bulk density increased in corn grains at all concentration of sodium carbonate soaked/dipped while the bulk density decreased in all concentration of potassium sulphate soaked/dipped corn grains. The soaked/dipped corn grains in potassium sulphate gave maximum popping percentage at 20% concentration level among the salts.