# How is corn turned into "popping corn"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-corn-turned-into-popping-corn/282662>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 2, 2005, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-corn-turned-into-popping-corn/282662 "2005-01-02T06:05:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-corn-turned-into-popping-corn/282662/21 "2005-01-03T22:16:10Z")

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> [@ParentalAdvisory](#):
>
> Can any type of seed be “popped”, and not just corn?

Pop Corn is popped like not any other seed.

Dehusked rice and wheat is exploded by being cooked to establishe the correct water content. It is then placed in a vessel under about 200 pounds pressure which is released suddenly resulting in the familiar sponge or foam like pieces served as a breakfast cereal.

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**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-corn-turned-into-popping-corn/282662/22 "2005-01-04T01:38:01Z")

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When I was a kid, I once planted (in a small flowerpot) a kernal of Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn just to see what would happen. It sprouted! A green thing started to grow!

If I had let it continue growing, what would it have been?

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**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-corn-turned-into-popping-corn/282662/23 "2005-01-04T01:50:58Z")

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> [@Misnomer](#):
>
> When I was a kid, I once planted (in a small flowerpot) a kernal of Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn just to see what would happen. It sprouted! A green thing started to grow!
> 
> If I had let it continue growing, what would it have been?

If it was a hybrid variety, and I suspect it was, it would be a cornstalk and probably without an ear of corn on it.

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