Popcorn Quality; Raw Corn; Moisture Content; Production Capacity - RoboLabs Grand Robopop 220 User Manual

5 Popcorn quality

Popcorn is a product that requires ultimate attention towards many aspects. Understanding
popcorn processing technology is essential to get high quality product.

5.1 Raw corn

It is impossible to get good stable result using low quality supplies, first of all, raw corn kernels.
Choose reliable corn suppliers. Make sure that raw corn is stored and handled properly at your
production site or warehouse. Ask your supplier for corn storage recommendations.

5.2 Moisture content

Popcorn is crunchy when its moisture content doesn't exceed 1-1,5%. Popcorn that just came
out of the machine usually has higher moisture rate (4-5%), it is still losing moisture as cooling
down. At this moment it may appear soggy and chewy. You must arrange the workflow in such
a way that popcorn has enough time to cool down before the next stage of processing, coating,
for example.

5.3 Production capacity

Due to the nature of popping process, the weight of raw corn processed is not the same as the
weight of ready-to-eat product at the machine's output. The di erence might be up to 20%.
Low quality corn or improperly chosen parameters may increase the di erence.
If corn used is too dry, or there is a lot of damaged kernels, then there will be a lot of un-
popped kernels screened in sifter and found in the scrap tray.
If turbine speed is set too high, a lot of kernels will be blown out before they would have
been popped.
Scrap amount might be up to 5-7% (by weight, compared to the weight of raw corn pro-
cessed). If scrap rate exceeds this value, then the reason might be low quality corn or too high
turbine speed.
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