Popcorn and method of making same

Abstract

The application provides popcorn and a preparation method thereof, and relates to the technical field of popcorn. The popcorn is prepared from pretreated corn kernels, oil and fat components and composite sugar powder. The composite sugar powder comprises isomaltulose, trehalose, allulose, natural inulin and licorice extract powder. The pretreated corn kernels are prepared from corn kernels, stevioside and glucose-based stevioside. The popcorn provided by the application can meet the characteristics of not being sticky, having a crisp taste and not being collapsed in shape. By compounding multiple functional sugar and natural extracts, the technical problems of being sticky, not having a crisp taste and having inconsistent sweet taste distribution in traditional popcorn are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of popcorn technology, and in particular to a popcorn and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional popcorn is made by adding corn kernels, cooking oil, and sugar to a popcorn machine and heating them, causing the kernels to pop and form fluffy, crispy popcorn. However, the sugar syrup on the surface of traditional sugar popcorn can be sticky when eaten, affecting the cleanliness of the fingers and the overall eating experience.

[0003] To alleviate the stickiness issue, reducing the amount of syrup could be considered. However, this method easily leads to uneven syrup coating, causing the popcorn's surface structure to lose support and collapse, thus affecting its shape and crispness. Once popcorn loses its crispness and becomes soft and crunchy, the product's edibility is significantly reduced. Furthermore, uneven syrup distribution can also cause inconsistent sweetness, further impacting the overall taste experience.

[0004] In view of this, the present invention is hereby proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One of the objectives of this invention is to provide a popcorn that at least solves one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. The popcorn provided by this invention solves the technical problems of traditional sugar popcorn, where the sugar syrup on the surface causes stickiness, easy moisture absorption, insufficient crispness, and affects the taste when eaten.

[0006] The second objective of this invention is to provide a method for preparing popcorn.

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives of the present invention, the following technical solution is adopted:

[0008] In a first aspect, the present invention provides popcorn, wherein the raw materials for preparing the popcorn include: pretreated corn kernels, oil components and compound sugar powder;

[0009] The compound sugar powder includes isomalt, trehalose, allulose, natural inulin, and licorice extract powder. The raw materials for preparing the pretreated corn kernels include corn kernels, steviol glycosides, and glucosyl steviol glycosides.

[0010] Furthermore, the raw materials for preparing the popcorn include, by weight, 80-100 parts of pretreated corn kernels, 40-60 parts of oil components, 20-50 parts of isomaltitol, 10-30 parts of trehalose, 10-30 parts of allulose, 5-20 parts of natural inulin, and 2-10 parts of licorice extract powder.

[0011] Furthermore, the raw materials for preparing the pretreated corn kernels include: 80-100 parts of corn kernels, 0.01-0.05 parts of steviol glycosides, 0.05-0.5 parts of glucosyl steviol glycosides, and 10-25 parts of water.

[0012] Furthermore, the oil components include one or more of corn oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, and butter.

[0013] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for preparing popcorn, comprising the following steps:

[0014] (a) Pre-treating corn kernels to obtain pre-treated corn kernels;

[0015] (b) The oil components, isomaltitol, trehalose, allulose, natural inulin and licorice extract powder are mixed and heated for the first time, then pretreated corn kernels are added and heated for the second time to obtain the popcorn.

[0016] Further, in step (a), the pretreatment includes adding corn kernels to a mixed solution of steviol glycosides and glucosyl steviol glycosides, followed by drying.

[0017] Furthermore, the drying temperature is 40-60℃.

[0018] Furthermore, the drying process takes 0.5-3 hours.

[0019] Furthermore, in step (b), the temperature of the first heating is 150-200°C; the heating time of the first heating is 1-3 minutes.

[0020] Furthermore, in step (b), the temperature of the second heating is 130-160°C; the time of the second heating is 8-12 minutes.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0022] The popcorn provided by this invention uses steviol glycosides and glucosyl steviol glycosides to pre-treat corn kernels, with the steviol glycoside and glucosyl steviol glycoside solution pre-coating the surface of the corn kernels to increase the sweetness of the popcorn. This invention uses isomaltitol, trehalose, allulose, natural inulin, and licorice extract powder as a compound sugar powder. The addition of isomaltitol increases the sugar coating on the popcorn, achieving crispness. The addition of trehalose, which regulates hygroscopicity, prevents the popcorn from absorbing moisture and softening too quickly, maintaining its shape and synergistically forming a stable sugar film, improving the uniformity of syrup coating. The addition of allulose provides caramel color to the popcorn. The addition of natural inulin supplements the sugar powder volume, preventing insufficient syrup coating due to insufficient sugar powder, increasing dietary fiber intake, and enhancing the product's health properties. The addition of licorice extract powder, in conjunction with allulose, makes the popcorn a deeper caramel color and produces a caramel aroma. The popcorn provided by this invention can simultaneously satisfy the characteristics of being non-sticky, crispy, and not collapsing. By compounding a variety of functional sugars and natural extracts, it solves the technical problems of stickiness, lack of crispiness, and inconsistent sweetness distribution commonly found in traditional popcorn. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 4 of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 5 of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 6 of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 7 of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 8 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 8 of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 9 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 9 of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 10 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 10 of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 11 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 11 of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 12 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 12 of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 13 This is a picture of popcorn provided in Embodiment 13 of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 14 The image provided is of popcorn as a comparative example 1.

[0038] Figure 15 The popcorn image provided for Comparative Example 2;

[0039] Figure 16 The popcorn image provided for Comparative Example 3;

[0040] Figure 17 The popcorn image provided for Comparative Example 4;

[0041] Figure 18 The image provided is of popcorn as shown in Comparative Example 5.

[0042] Figure 19 A picture of popcorn provided for Comparative Example 6;

[0043] Figure 20 The image provided is of popcorn as shown in Comparative Example 7.

[0044] Figure 21 The image provided is of popcorn as shown in Comparative Example 8.

[0045] Figure 22 The image provided is of popcorn as a comparative example 9.

[0046] Figure 23 The image provided is of popcorn as a comparative example 10. Detailed Implementation

[0047] Unless otherwise defined herein, the scientific and technical terms used in conjunction with this invention shall have the meanings commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The meaning and scope of terms shall be clear; however, in any case of potential ambiguity, the definitions provided herein shall prevail over any dictionary or foreign definitions. In this application, unless otherwise stated, the use of "or" means "and / or". Furthermore, the use of the term "comprising" and other forms is non-limiting.

[0048] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0049] Currently, popcorn is sticky and makes it difficult to clean your hands while eating. While reducing the amount of syrup can improve the stickiness, it can also lead to uneven coating and a less crispy texture. Therefore, this invention aims to solve the technical challenges of making healthy popcorn that is non-sticky, crispy, flavorful, and low in calories.

[0050] In view of the above, the first aspect of the present invention provides popcorn, wherein the raw materials for preparing the popcorn include: pretreated corn kernels, oil components and compound sugar powder; wherein the compound sugar powder includes isomaltitol, trehalose, allulose, natural inulin and licorice extract powder, and the raw materials for preparing the pretreated corn kernels include: corn kernels, steviol glycosides and glucosyl steviol glycosides.

[0051] The compound sugar powder formula of this invention contains isomaltitol, a low-concentration sweetener that forms a uniform and thin syrup layer during popcorn making, improving the sugar coating of the syrup on the popcorn and thus enhancing its crispness. It also prevents the popcorn from becoming sticky due to excessive syrup thickness. Furthermore, when used in conjunction with trehalose, it optimizes the syrup's fluidity and crystallization behavior, extending the popcorn's crispness retention time.

[0052] The compound sugar powder formula of this invention includes trehalose, a low-intensity sweetener. The resulting syrup has the property of making the popcorn surface shiny and non-sticky. Trehalose has a strong hygroscopic regulating ability, acting as a "humectant" in the syrup to maintain the dryness of the popcorn surface and prevent it from becoming soggy due to changes in environmental humidity. Trehalose reduces the risk of popcorn surface collapse, maintains its shape, effectively prevents the popcorn from losing its crispness due to moisture absorption, and extends its shelf life. Furthermore, when used in combination with isomaltitol, it forms a stable sugar film, improving the uniformity of the syrup coating. The combined use of isomaltitol and trehalose achieves a crispy effect while creating a shiny, non-sticky, and crispy surface on the popcorn.

[0053] The compound sugar powder formula of this invention contains allulose and licorice extract powder. Allulose can produce a Maillard reaction, providing caramel color to popcorn, enhancing the caramel aroma of popcorn, and improving the overall flavor. Licorice extract powder contains glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid, and other components, which have a natural caramel aroma and sweetness-enhancing effect, improving the naturalness of sweetness, avoiding the problem of a lingering sweetness or an unnatural aftertaste, and significantly enhancing the caramel aroma of popcorn. It also compensates for the lack of flavor in high-intensity sweeteners, works synergistically with sugars to improve the overall flavor, and works with allulose to make the sweetness more natural and the caramel aroma more intense.

[0054] The compound sugar powder formula of this invention contains natural inulin, which is a natural soluble dietary fiber with a filling effect. It can adjust the physical form and flowability of the sugar powder, while providing a certain mouthfeel structure support. Adding natural inulin can supplement the volume of the sugar powder, prevent insufficient sugar powder from causing insufficient syrup coating, increase dietary fiber intake, improve the health attributes of the product, and also help the syrup form a uniform structure to prevent local collapse.

[0055] In the process of preparing popcorn, the present invention pre-treats the corn kernels to enhance the sweetness. By pre-coating the surface of the corn kernels with a steviol glycoside / glucosyl steviol glycoside solution, the sweetness of the popcorn is increased and the sweetness is made more natural. At the same time, the drying process increases the popping rate of the corn and improves the problem of uneven sweetness when using low-concentration sweeteners.

[0056] In some preferred embodiments, the raw materials for preparing popcorn include, by weight, 80-100 parts of pretreated corn kernels, 40-60 parts of oil components, 20-50 parts of isomaltitol, 10-30 parts of trehalose, 10-30 parts of allulose, 5-20 parts of natural inulin, and 2-10 parts of licorice extract powder.

[0057] In the preparation of popcorn, the amount of pretreated corn kernels added is 80-100 parts, for example, 80 parts, 85 parts, 90 parts, 95 parts, 100 parts, etc.

[0058] In the preparation of popcorn, the amount of oil component added is 40-60 parts, for example, 40 parts, 45 parts, 50 parts, 55 parts, 60 parts, etc.

[0059] In the preparation of popcorn, the amount of isomaltitol added is 20-50 parts, for example, 20 parts, 25 parts, 30 parts, 35 parts, 40 parts, 45 parts, 50 parts, etc.

[0060] The amount of trehalose added in the raw materials for making popcorn is 10-30 parts, for example, 10 parts, 15 parts, 20 parts, 25 parts, 30 parts, etc.

[0061] In the preparation of popcorn, the amount of allulose added is 10-30 parts, for example, 10 parts, 15 parts, 20 parts, 25 parts, 30 parts, etc.

[0062] The amount of natural inulin added to the raw materials for making popcorn is 5-20 parts, for example, 5 parts, 10 parts, 15 parts, 20 parts, etc.

[0063] In the preparation of popcorn, the amount of licorice extract powder added is 2-10 parts, for example, 2 parts, 3 parts, 4 parts, 5 parts, 6 parts, 7 parts, 8 parts, 9 parts, 10 parts, etc.

[0064] In some preferred embodiments, the raw materials for preparing the pretreated corn kernels include: 80-100 parts of corn kernels, 0.01-0.05 parts of steviol glycosides, 0.05-0.5 parts of glucosyl steviol glycosides, and 10-25 parts of water.

[0065] In the preparation of the pretreated corn kernels, the amount of corn kernels added is 80-100 parts, for example, 80 parts, 85 parts, 90 parts, 95 parts, 100 parts, etc.

[0066] In the preparation of the pretreated corn kernels, the amount of steviol glycosides added is 0.01-0.05 parts, for example, 0.01 parts, 0.02 parts, 0.03 parts, 0.04 parts, 0.05 parts, etc.

[0067] In the preparation of the pretreated corn kernels, the amount of glucosyl steviol glycoside added is 0.05-0.5 parts, for example, it can be 0.05 parts, 0.1 parts, 0.15 parts, 0.2 parts, 0.25 parts, 0.3 parts, 0.35 parts, 0.4 parts, 0.45 parts, 0.5 parts, etc.

[0068] In the preparation of the pretreated corn kernels, the amount of water added is 10-25 parts, for example, 10 parts, 15 parts, 20 parts, 25 parts, etc.

[0069] In some preferred embodiments, the oil component includes one or more of corn oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, and butter.

[0070] A second aspect of this invention improves a method for preparing popcorn, comprising the following steps:

[0071] (a) Pre-treating corn kernels to obtain pre-treated corn kernels;

[0072] (b) The oil components, isomaltitol, trehalose, allulose, natural inulin and licorice extract powder are mixed and heated for the first time, then pretreated corn kernels are added and heated for the second time to obtain the popcorn.

[0073] In some preferred embodiments, in step (a), the pretreatment includes adding corn kernels to a mixed solution of steviol glycosides and glucosyl steviol glycosides, followed by drying.

[0074] In the pretreatment process, the corn kernels are dried, which has the following advantages: (1) The drying process can remove excess surface moisture and restore the overall moisture content to a suitable range for popping, avoiding insufficient steam pressure or shell cracking due to excessive moisture. Therefore, the popping rate of corn kernels is higher after drying, and the popcorn kernels are fuller and more uniform. Moreover, the dried corn kernels are more likely to form a crispy shell during heating, which further enhances the overall crispness. (2) During the drying process, water molecules evaporate from the steviol glycoside / glucosyl steviol glycoside solution, which makes the sugars adhere more evenly to the surface of the corn kernels. These sugars can form a syrup coating layer during subsequent heating, which improves the heat conduction efficiency of the corn kernels and makes the internal moisture vaporize faster. At the same time, the sugars can form a certain structural support in the corn shell, preventing the shell from cracking prematurely and helping to accumulate pressure.

[0075] In some preferred embodiments, the drying temperature is 40-60°C, for example, 40°C, 45°C, 50°C, 55°C, 60°C, etc.

[0076] In some preferred embodiments, the drying time is 0.5-3 hours, for example, 0.5 hours, 1 hour, 1.5 hours, 2 hours, 2.5 hours, 3 hours, etc.

[0077] In some preferred embodiments, in step (b), the temperature of the first heating is 150-200°C; the time of the first heating is 1-3 minutes, for example, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, etc.

[0078] In some preferred embodiments, in step (b), the temperature of the second heating is 130-160°C, for example, 130°C, 140°C, 150°C, 160°C, etc.; the time of the second heating is 8-12 minutes, for example, 8 minutes, 9 minutes, 10 minutes, 11 minutes, 12 minutes, etc.

[0079] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method for preparing popcorn includes the following steps:

[0080] Step 1, Pretreatment: Wash the corn kernels, dissolve steviol glycosides and glucosyl steviol glycosides in water, mix the corn kernels with the sugar solution thoroughly and evenly, dry the corn kernels in a constant temperature drying oven at 40-60℃ for 1-3 hours to obtain pretreated corn kernels.

[0081] Step 2: Mix popcorn oil and compound sugar powder (isomaltitol, allulose, trehalose, natural inulin, and licorice extract powder), and heat at 150-200℃ for 1-3 minutes; then add pre-treated corn kernels while stirring, seal, and heat at 130-160℃ for 8-12 minutes while stirring and keeping warm to obtain popcorn.

[0082] The present invention will be further illustrated below by way of examples. Unless otherwise specified, the materials in the examples are prepared according to existing methods or purchased directly from the market.

[0083] In the following examples and comparative examples, 1 part represents 1g.

[0084] The raw materials used in the following examples and comparative examples:

[0085] Oil components (popcorn oil): coconut oil, palm oil, Kunshan Relie Food Co., Ltd.;

[0086] Isomaltitol: Henan Yuecheng Biotechnology Co., Ltd.;

[0087] Trehalose: Nagase Group (China);

[0088] Stevioside: BGG9512, Beijing Green Gold Biotechnology Co., Ltd.;

[0089] Glucosylstevioside: BGGFL103, Beijing Green Gold Biotechnology Co., Ltd.;

[0090] Allulose: Zhongda Hengyuan;

[0091] Natural inulin: Inner Mongolia Weinihao Biotechnology Co., Ltd.;

[0092] Licorice extract powder: GA-091, Beijing Green Gold Biotechnology Co., Ltd.;

[0093] Erythritol: Beijing Ruifen Biotechnology Co., Ltd.;

[0094] Xylitol: Shandong Futian Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

[0095] Example 1

[0096] This embodiment provides a popcorn preparation process as follows:

[0097] Step 1, Pretreatment: Wash 100 parts of corn kernels, dissolve 0.03 parts of steviol glycoside and 0.1 parts of glucosyl steviol glycoside in 10 parts of water, mix the corn kernels and sugar solution thoroughly and evenly, dry the corn kernels in a constant temperature drying oven at 50℃ for 1 hour to obtain pretreated corn kernels.

[0098] Step 2: Mix 50 parts of popcorn oil and compound sugar powder (compound sugar powder includes 30 parts isomaltitol, 15 parts trehalose, 20 parts allulose, 10 parts natural inulin and 5 parts licorice extract powder), heat at 180℃ for 2 minutes; then add 100 parts of pre-treated corn kernels while stirring, seal and keep warm at 150℃ for 10 minutes while stirring to obtain popcorn.

[0099] Example 2

[0100] This embodiment provides a popcorn product, which differs from Embodiment 1 in that:

[0101] Step 1, during the pretreatment process, the amount of steviol glycosides is 0.01 parts, the amount of glucosyl steviol glycosides is 0.5 parts, and the amount of water is 25 parts;

[0102] Step 2: The compound sugar powder consists of 20 parts isomaltitol, 30 parts trehalose, 10 parts allulose, 20 parts natural inulin, and 2 parts licorice extract powder.

[0103] Example 3

[0104] This embodiment provides a popcorn product, which differs from Embodiment 1 in that:

[0105] Step 1, during the pretreatment process, the amount of steviol glycosides is 0.05 parts, the amount of glucosyl steviol glycosides is 0.05 parts, and the amount of water is 15 parts;

[0106] Step 2: The compound sugar powder includes 50 parts isomaltitol, 10 parts trehalose, 30 parts allulose, 5 parts natural inulin, and 10 parts licorice extract powder.

[0107] Example 4

[0108] This embodiment provides a popcorn product, which differs from Embodiment 1 in that:

[0109] Step 1, during the pretreatment process, the amount of steviol glycosides is 0.005 parts and the amount of glucosyl steviol glycosides is 0.6 parts.

[0110] Example 5

[0111] This embodiment provides a popcorn product, which differs from Embodiment 1 in that:

[0112] Step 1, during the pretreatment process, the amount of steviol glycosides is 0.06 parts and the amount of glucosyl steviol glycosides is 0.04 parts.

[0113] Example 6

[0114] This embodiment provides a popcorn product, which differs from Embodiment 1 in that:

[0115] Step 2: In the compound sugar powder, isomalt is 19 parts and trehalose is 31 parts.

[0116] Example 7

[0117] This embodiment provides a popcorn product, which differs from Embodiment 1 in that:

[0118] Step 2: In the compound sugar powder, isomalt is 51 parts and trehalose is 9 parts.

[0119] Example 8

[0120] This embodiment provides a popcorn product, which differs from Embodiment 1 in that:

[0121] Step 2: In the compound sugar powder, there are 9 parts allulose, 21 parts natural inulin, and 1 part licorice extract powder.

[0122] Example 9

[0123] This embodiment provides a popcorn product, which differs from Embodiment 1 in that:

[0124] Step 2: In the compound sugar powder, allulose is 31 parts, natural inulin is 4 parts, and licorice extract powder is 11 parts.

[0125] Example 10

[0126] This embodiment provides a popcorn product, which differs from Embodiment 1 in that:

[0127] In step 1, the drying temperature is 40℃ and the drying time is 3 hours.

[0128] Example 11

[0129] This embodiment provides a popcorn product, which differs from Embodiment 1 in that:

[0130] In step 1, the drying temperature is 60℃ and the drying time is 1 hour.

[0131] Example 12

[0132] This embodiment provides a popcorn product, which differs from Embodiment 1 in that:

[0133] In step 1, the drying temperature is 30℃ and the drying time is 4 hours.

[0134] Example 13

[0135] This embodiment provides a popcorn product, which differs from Embodiment 1 in that:

[0136] In step 1, the drying temperature is 70℃ and the drying time is 0.5h.

[0137] Comparative Example 1

[0138] This comparative example provides a type of popcorn that differs from Example 1 in that:

[0139] Step 1: During the pretreatment process, only steviol glycosides are added.

[0140] Comparative Example 2

[0141] This comparative example provides a type of popcorn that differs from Example 1 in that:

[0142] Step 2: Do not add trehalose to the compound sugar powder.

[0143] Comparative Example 3

[0144] This comparative example provides a type of popcorn that differs from Example 1 in that:

[0145] Step 2: Do not add isomalt to the compound sugar powder.

[0146] Comparative Example 4

[0147] This comparative example provides a type of popcorn that differs from Example 1 in that:

[0148] Step 2: Do not add allulose to the compound sugar powder.

[0149] Comparative Example 5

[0150] This comparative example provides a type of popcorn that differs from Example 1 in that:

[0151] Step 2: No natural inulin is added to the compound sugar powder.

[0152] Comparative Example 6

[0153] This comparative example provides a type of popcorn that differs from Example 1 in that:

[0154] Isomalt is added to the pretreatment process in step 1. The sugar solution used in the pretreatment includes: 30 parts isomalt, 0.03 parts steviol glycoside, 0.1 parts glucosyl steviol glycoside, and 25 parts water. During the dissolution process of the sugar solution, heating to 60°C will completely dissolve the components.

[0155] The compound sugar powder in step 2 does not contain isomaltitol.

[0156] Comparative Example 7

[0157] This comparative example provides a type of popcorn that differs from Example 1 in that:

[0158] In step 1, no drying process is performed.

[0159] Comparative Example 8

[0160] This comparative example provides a type of popcorn that differs from Example 1 in that:

[0161] Step 2, the formula for the compound sugar powder is as follows: the compound sugar powder includes 30 parts isomaltitol, 15 parts trehalose, 5 parts natural inulin, 10 parts erythritol and 10 parts xylitol.

[0162] Comparative Example 9

[0163] This comparative example provides a type of popcorn that differs from Example 1 in that:

[0164] Step 2, the formula for the compound sugar powder is as follows: the compound sugar powder includes 30 parts isomaltitol, 15 parts trehalose, 5 parts natural inulin and 20 parts erythritol.

[0165] Comparative Example 10

[0166] This comparative example provides a type of popcorn that differs from Example 1 in that:

[0167] Step 2, the formula for the compound sugar powder is as follows: the compound sugar powder includes 30 parts isomaltitol, 15 parts trehalose, 5 parts natural inulin and 20 parts xylitol.

[0168] Test case

[0169] Test sample:

[0170] Popcorn prepared in Examples 1-13 and Comparative Examples 1-10 was used as samples for testing.

[0171] Test method:

[0172] (1) Sensory evaluation test: Blind evaluation was conducted at room temperature. Evaluators rinsed their mouths and tasted the product at intervals to avoid fatigue. The sensory index scoring criteria are shown in Table 1.

[0173] (2) Bursting rate test method: The unbursted corn kernels of Examples 1-13 and Comparative Examples 1-10 were counted and statistically analyzed to calculate their proportion in the total corn kernels.

[0174] Table 1

[0175]

[0176]

[0177] The test results are shown in Table 2.

[0178] Table 2

[0179]

[0180]

[0181]

[0182] From the data in Table 2 and combined with Figures 1-23 As can be seen from Examples 1 and 4-5, only when the content of steviol glycosides and glucosyl steviol glycosides in the pretreatment process is within a specific range can a better sweetness be obtained. As can be seen from Examples 1 and 6-7, the content of isomaltitol and trehalose also affects the taste of popcorn. In addition, too much isomaltitol will result in a thicker syrup coating, making the texture less crispy and sticky. Too much trehalose will result in incomplete melting of the sugar powder, more white popcorn kernels, and more empty kernels. As can be seen from Examples 1 and 8-9, the reduced allulose content in Example 8 affected the aroma and color of the popcorn. The significant increase in allulose and licorice extract powder in Example 9 resulted in an overly strong flavor and an unnatural sweetness, affecting product quality. As can be seen from Examples 1 and 12-13, drying temperature and time within a suitable range can improve the popping rate.

[0183] As can be seen from Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-5, the absence of any component in the popcorn formula of this invention will affect the overall quality of the popcorn. As can be seen from Example 1 and Comparative Example 6, if isomaltitol is added in advance, the popcorn surface will be less coated with syrup and lack a crispy texture. As can be seen from Example 1 and Comparative Examples 8-10, using erythritol or xylitol to replace allulose will cause the syrup structure to collapse, resulting in burning, poor taste, and poor color.

[0184] In most of the embodiments of the present invention, the burst rate was above 90%. Comparative Example 7, which was not dried, had a lower burst rate and more dead particles. In Example 12 (drying temperature 30℃ / 4h), the burst rate dropped to 85%, indicating that the temperature was too low and affected the pretreatment effect. In Example 13 (drying temperature 70℃ / 0.5h), the burst rate was 89%, indicating that the temperature was too high or the time was too short and also affected the burst rate. Comparative Example 7 (without drying) had a burst rate of 80%, which was significantly lower than that of Example 1, indicating that the pretreatment drying had a significant impact on the burst rate.

[0185] The popcorn provided by this invention is made by pre-treating corn and using a compound sugar powder to produce non-sticky and crispy popcorn.

[0186] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A type of popcorn, characterized in that, The raw materials for preparing the popcorn include: pretreated corn kernels, oil components, and compound sugar powder; The compound sugar powder includes isomalt, trehalose, allulose, natural inulin and licorice extract powder, and the raw materials for preparing the pretreated corn kernels include corn kernels, steviol glycosides and glucosyl steviol glycosides. The raw materials for preparing popcorn, by weight, include: 80-100 parts of pretreated corn kernels, 40-60 parts of oil components, 20-50 parts of isomaltitol, 10-30 parts of trehalose, 10-30 parts of allulose, 5-20 parts of natural inulin, and 2-10 parts of licorice extract powder. The raw materials for preparing the pretreated corn kernels include: 80-100 parts of corn kernels, 0.01-0.05 parts of steviol glycosides, 0.05-0.5 parts of glucosyl steviol glycosides, and 10-25 parts of water; The pretreatment of the corn kernels includes adding corn kernels to a mixed solution of steviol glycosides and glucosyl steviol glycosides, followed by drying.

2. The popcorn according to claim 1, characterized in that, The oil components include one or more of corn oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, and butter.

3. The method for preparing popcorn as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (a) Pre-treating corn kernels to obtain pre-treated corn kernels; (b) The oil components, isomaltitol, trehalose, allulose, natural inulin and licorice extract powder are mixed and heated for the first time, then pretreated corn kernels are added and heated for the second time to obtain the popcorn; In step (a), the pretreatment includes adding corn kernels to a mixed solution of steviol glycosides and glucosyl steviol glycosides, followed by drying.

4. The preparation method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drying temperature is 40-60℃.

5. The preparation method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drying process takes 0.5-3 hours.

6. The preparation method according to claim 3, characterized in that, In step (b), the temperature of the first heating is 150-200℃; the heating time of the first heating is 1-3 min.

7. The preparation method according to claim 3, characterized in that, In step (b), the temperature of the second heating is 130-160℃; the time of the second heating is 8-12 min.

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