Sensory, Nutritional and Popping Qualities of Yellow and Purple Popcorn.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the sensory, nutritional and popping qualities of two types of popcorn grains (Zea mays, L.) yellow and purple popcorn under different methods of expansion. Popping processes applied were: in a pan with oil, in an electrical popper with and without oil. The purple popcorn is superior in protein (12.56%), crude fiber (3.58%) and ash content (1.89%), whereas yellow popcorn has 10.84%, 2.27%, 1.03% for protein, crud fiber and ash content, respectively. Obviously, the higher the preference for the tasters was the popcorn produced by the electrical popper with oil, for both yellow and purple popcorn. The carotenoid content increased when popping with oil was applied on contrary to popping without oil. The highest content of anthocyanin could be traced in unexpanded purple popcorn, but decreased with the different forms of popping process. Yellow and purple popcorn grains had 1.19 and 1.58 mg of gallic acid / g sample, respectively and significant increase was figured out in the total phenolic availability after popping in pan with oil in both yellow and purple popcorn. The expansion volume of yellow and purple popcorn by the same expansion method was insignificant, but significantly different from those expanded with and without oil.