METHODS FOR POPPING KERNELS TO ACHIEVE IMPROVED POPPING YIELD
The present invention relates to a method of popping kernels, comprising moving kernels within a heating chamber with airflow, and subjecting the kernels to focused microwave energy sufficient to cause the kernels to pop, resulting in popped flakes, wherein the method produces popped flakes with an average popping yield greater than 94%. The present invention also relates to a method for popping kernels, comprising generating in a single-mode resonant microwave applicator a standing microwave energy field comprising an array of one or more anti-node high intensity microwave regions, subjecting kernels to the microwave energy in the one or more high intensity microwave regions, sufficient for the kernels to achieve a uniform distribution of microwave energy heat to cause the kernels to pop, wherein the method produces popped flakes with an average popping yield greater than 94%.
1 . A method of popping kernels, comprising:
moving kernels within a heating chamber with airflow; and
subjecting the kernels to focused microwave energy sufficient to cause the kernels to pop, resulting in popped flakes;
wherein the method produces popped flakes with an average popping yield greater than 94%.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the average popping yield is greater than 95%.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the average popping yield is greater than 96%.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the average popping yield is greater than 97%.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the average popping yield is greater than 98%.
6 . A method for popping kernels, comprising:
generating in a single-mode resonant microwave applicator a standing microwave energy field comprising an array of one or more anti-node high intensity microwave regions;
subjecting kernels to the microwave energy in the one or more high intensity microwave regions, sufficient for the kernels to achieve a uniform distribution of microwave energy heat to cause the kernels to pop;
wherein the method produces popped flakes with an average popping yield greater than 94%.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the average popping yield greater than 95%.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the average popping yield is greater than 96%.
9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the average popping yield is greater than 97%.
10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the average popping yield is greater than 98%.
11 . A method of popping kernels, comprising:
moving kernels within a heating chamber with airflow; and
subjecting the kernels to microwave energy sufficient to cause the kernels to pop, resulting in popped flakes;
wherein the method produces popped flakes with an average popping yield greater than 94%.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the average popping yield is greater than 95%.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the average popping yield is greater than 96%.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the average popping yield is greater than 97%.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the average popping yield is greater than 98%.