Evidence of popped corn discovered in Peru shows people’s love affair with the light and fluffy snack dates back 6,700 years. But if you’ve enjoyed popcorn in more recent times, it likely came from the United States.

While estimates vary, U.S. popcorn production accounts for upward of 80% of popcorn seed  sold worldwide. Much of it comes from the Midwest, the heartland region where the world’s first popcorn popper debuted at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

Scientifically Adapted Popcorn

For decades, U.S. seed scientists have adapted popcorn to thrive in the agriculturally rich region, helping drive the snack’s evolution from a movie theater and TV-night favorite to a healthy snack enjoyed around the world.

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Dan Quinn, corn program director at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, says years of localized breeding and fertilization techniques have increased farmers’ popcorn yields and developed traits for optimal popping.

Why Different Corn Hybrids Make Sense

Different hybrids have been developed for microwave popping versus large commercial kettles, Quinn says. Research considers everything from moisture levels to hull thickness (the part of the seed that explodes during cooking) and focuses on both major popcorn shapes: butterfly and mushroom.

Which State Is Producing The Most Popcorn?

Indiana now produces 40% of America’s popcorn, more than any other U.S. state. Indiana and Purdue’s rich popcorn legacy includes Orville Redenbacher, the bow-tie-clad pitchman who refined his kernels at Purdue before launching his business from the state. He later popularized his brand with TV commercials in the 1970s and 1980s.

A few states over, in Nebraska, researchers are enhancing popcorn’s inherent nutritional qualities. The University of Nebraska and private sector partners recently developed a popcorn variety rich in an amino acid essential for healthy diets, says David Holding , a professor and researcher at the school. “This is a product that lends itself to organic production and can be marketed as a novel popcorn variety,” he says.

Aaron Whalen, sales manager at Ag Alumni Seed, which partners with Purdue University and growers in 20 countries, says the popcorn market is trending toward healthier products, as well as those that allow for adding culturally specific flavors.

For The Silo, Brandon Lambert/ & friends at share.america.gov.