Popcorn seasoning is any ingredient used to add flavor to

popcorn Popcorn (also called popped corn, popcorns or pop-corn) is a variety of corn kernel which expands and puffs up when heated; the same names also refer to the foodstuff produced by the expansion. A popcorn kernel's strong hull contains the se ...

. In the United States, popcorn seasoning is

mass-produced Mass production, also known as flow production or continuous production, is the production of substantial amounts of standardized products in a constant flow, including and especially on assembly lines. Together with job production and ba ...

by several companies for commercial and consumer use. Popcorn seasonings may be used to enhance the flavor of popcorn, and some are used to add a buttery flavor to popcorn. Significant amounts are often used to ensure the adequate flavoring of popcorn, due to popcorn's low density. It is also sometimes utilized to add coloring to popcorn. Some popcorn seasoning may contain

monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG), also known as sodium glutamate, is the sodium salt of glutamic acid. MSG is found naturally in some foods including tomatoes and cheese in this glutamic acid form. MSG is used in cooking as a flavor enhancer ...

."Popcorn Costs Up; Seasonings Down"
''The Billboard''. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. April 12, 1962. p. 63. Some specialty products exist in unique flavors, such as chocolate and bubble gum. Some popcorn seasoning products may be referred to as popcorn salt. Some

oils An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturate ...

used to cook popcorn contain popcorn seasonings mixed within the oil, and may be referred to as popcorn seasoning oils or liquid popcorn seasoning. Since the 1960s, American

movie theaters A movie theater (American English), cinema (British English), or cinema hall (Indian English), also known as a movie house, picture house, the movies, the pictures, picture theater, the silver screen, the big screen, or simply theater is a ...

have commonly used the seasoning Flavacol–made up of salt, butter flavoring, and artificial colors–to enhance their popcorn.

Formulation

Dry popcorn seasoning may be finely granulated to enable even dispersion when placed upon popcorn.''Handbook on Spices and Condiments (Cultivation, Processing and Extraction)'' by H. Panda
/ref> Common homemade popcorn seasoning ingredients include

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...

and melted

butter Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condim ...

. Popcorn seasoning is sometimes used within machines that are utilized to produce large quantities of popcorn for consumer purchase. In the 1950s in the United States, many commercial oil-based popcorn seasonings were produced with a

coconut oil frameless , right , alt = A cracked coconut and a bottle of coconut oil Coconut oil (or coconut butter) is an edible oil derived from the wick, meat, and milk of the coconut palm fruit. Coconut oil is a white solid fat; in warmer climates du ...

base, and also utilized artificial coloring.

Formulation

See also

References

Further reading