of popcorn in the world,

世界上的爆米花。

and the majority comes from right here in the Midwest.

而且大部分來自於中西部地區。

The secret to the American popcorn

美國爆米花的祕密

people can't get enough of

人們無法得到足夠的

are these one-of-a-kind kernels,

是這些獨一無二的果核。

which only grow in the Midwestern region

只生長在中西部地區

known as the Corn Belt.

被稱為 "玉米帶"。

There's kernel in my boot!

我的靴子裡有內核！

This type of kernel is what you most likely eat

這種類型的內核是你最可能吃的東西

in a movie theater,

在一個電影院裡。

and this type is better

而這種類型的人更好

for your caramel and cheese coating.

為你的焦糖和奶酪塗層。

But no matter the type, if you're eating popcorn,

但無論哪種類型，如果你在吃爆米花。

there's a high probability it comes from here.

它很有可能來自這裡。

We get an inside look at both the making

我們可以從內部瞭解到

and planting process of the popular,

和種植過程中的流行。

crunchy snack.

鬆脆的零食。

We visited Preferred Popcorn in Indiana in the spring,

我們在春天訪問了印第安納州的首選爆米花。

when popcorn kernels need to be planted,

什麼時候需要種植爆米花的果核。

so they can be harvested in the late summer or early fall.

所以它們可以在夏末或初秋收穫。

The company plants 100 million pounds

該公司種植了1億磅的

of popcorn kernels a year.

的爆米花芯一年。

For all those kernels to turn into

為了讓所有這些果核變成

the best American popcorn,

最好的美國爆米花。

it all starts with the soil.

一切從土壤開始。

Farmers here say conditions in the Midwest

這裡的農民說，中西部的條件

create soil that produces near-perfect kernels --

創造出能產生近乎完美的果核的土壤 --

first of all, because of temperature.

首先，因為溫度問題。

If you go too far south in the growing conditions,

如果你在生長條件下走得太南了。

it gets too hot, and popcorn does not like a lot of heat.

它變得太熱，而爆米花不喜歡大量的熱量。

So southern Indiana to northern Indiana

所以印第安納州南部到印第安納州北部

and out through Nebraska

並通過內布拉斯加州出去

is some of the best areas to grow corn.

是一些種植玉米的最佳地區。

It gets cooler at night,

晚上會變涼。

the higher expansion we will have out of it.

我們將從中獲得更高的擴張。

In southern Indiana here,

在印第安納州南部這裡。

we get over 60 inches of rain a year,

我們每年的降雨量超過60英寸。

is our normal season.

是我們的正常季節。

So, Mother Nature takes care of us.

是以，自然母親照顧我們。

Medha: This extra rainfall allows the soil

梅達。這種額外的降雨使土壤

to be fertile and rich.

肥沃和富有。

The moisture in the soil provides the corn

土壤中的水分為玉米提供了

the nutrients it needs to grow.

它生長所需的營養物質。

The flat land also makes it easier to plant

平坦的土地也使其更容易種植

and harvest crops.

和收割農作物。

Brian: When you pick up the soil

布萊恩：當你拿起土壤

and it crumbles like that between your hands,

而它在你的手掌之間就像這樣碎裂了。

your fingers, that is ready to plant.

你的手指，這就是準備好的種植。

Medha: OK. Versus if it would clump --

梅德哈。好的。與之相比，如果它會結塊 --

Brian: It would clump together and clay,

布萊恩：它會凝結在一起，形成粘土。

then it won't, the seeds can't germinate through it.

那麼它就不會，種子不能通過它發芽。

So you want it to be mellow like this,

所以你希望它像這樣醇厚。

is what it's called.

是它的名字。

It's just perfect to plant today.

今天種下的東西正合適。

There they are.

他們在那裡。

Right in there, ready to grow.

就在那裡，準備成長。

I'll cover that one back up. We need it.

我會把那個人重新蓋起來。我們需要它。

Medha: In about seven days, these seeds will germinate,

梅德哈。大約七天後，這些種子就會發芽。

and three days later, they will emerge from the ground.

三天後，它們將從地下冒出來。

And as they grow, there's a telltale sign

隨著他們的成長，有一個明顯的跡象

to know if what you're looking at

以瞭解你所看的東西是否

is actually popcorn or another type of corn.

實際上是爆米花或其他類型的玉米。

The only way to tell the difference

辨別的唯一方法

between popcorn and field corn

在爆米花和田野玉米之間

as you're driving down the road:

當你在路上開車的時候。

Popcorn tassels hang down like an umbrella,

爆米花的流蘇像雨傘一樣垂下來。

where field corn, tassels stay erect.

在大田玉米中，穗子保持直立。

Medha: Popcorn is one of six types of corn.

梅達。爆米花是六種類型的玉米之一。

It's a variant of flint corn

這是燧石玉米的一個變體

called Zea mays everta, or "corn turned inside out."

被稱為Zea mays everta，或 "內翻的玉米"。

It's the only maize that pops.

它是唯一會爆裂的玉米。

The kernels are generally smaller and harder

果核一般較小且較硬

and can come in about 100 different strains.

並且可以有大約100種不同的品系。

Farmers breed the popcorn plant

農民培育出的爆米花植物

to enhance taste, texture, and popability.

以提高口感、質地和可塑性。

We have two different types of popcorn.

我們有兩種不同類型的爆米花。

You have butterfly popcorn,

你有蝴蝶爆米花。

which blows apart and makes like a butterfly,

它被吹散，像一隻蝴蝶。

and then you have mushroom corn.

然後你有蘑菇玉米。

It makes like a ball.

它讓人覺得像個球。

The difference is in that we plant different seeds

不同的是，我們種下了不同的種子

in the ground in order to get that.

在地面上，為了得到這些。

To look at the kernels themselves,

要看一下內核本身。

you really can't tell a difference

你真的看不出有什麼不同

between the butterfly kernels and the mushroom kernels.

蝴蝶果核和蘑菇果核之間。

Medha: At the time of the harvest,

梅德哈。在收穫的時候。

the corn is picked and fed through a combine,

玉米被採摘並通過聯合收割機送入。

which strips the ear from the stalk

把耳朵從莖上剝下來

and removes the kernels from their cobs.

並將果核從果穗中取出。

The kernels are then taken to a storage bin.

然後，這些果核被送到一個儲存倉。

Brian: OK, we're looking at our storage bins.

布萊恩。好的，我們正在看我們的儲物箱。

We can hold, what is it,

我們可以持有，這是什麼。

about 25 million pounds of corn here in the big bins,

這裡的大糧倉裡有大約2500萬磅的玉米。

is where we're going to go to first.

是我們要先去的地方。

Medha: Yeah, let's get in.

梅達。是的，我們進去吧。

Is this good?

這樣好嗎？

Oh, wow.

哦，哇。

Ah! [Brian laughs]

啊！[布萊恩笑]

There's kernel in my boot!

我的靴子裡有內核！

Brian: There's kernels in your boots.

布萊恩：你的靴子裡有果核。

Medha: All right. So, where are we right now, Brian?

梅德哈。好的。那麼，我們現在在哪裡，布萊恩？

Brian: We're in bin No. 110.

布萊恩：我們在110號倉。

It holds 3.2 million pounds of popcorn.

它能容納320萬磅的爆米花。

So, what we have a hold of here

是以，我們在這裡掌握了什麼

is a temperature cable.

是一條溫度電纜。

Now, we have cables in the bins,

現在，我們的倉內有電纜。

because like we've talked about

因為就像我們已經談到的

how important the moisture is.

溼度是多麼重要。

Well, what this does is every three foot,

嗯，這是每三英尺做一次。

there's a moisture sensor on this.

這上面有一個溼度傳感器。

So when the bin is completely full,

是以，當垃圾桶完全裝滿時。

then it's checking the moisture throughout the bin

然後是檢查整個垃圾箱的溼度

and it's turning the fan on and off

而且它正在開啟和關閉風扇

depending on the outside conditions.

取決於外部條件。

If we need to add a little water

如果我們需要添加一點水

when the humidity is high or it's raining a little bit,

當溼度高或下著小雨的時候。

it'll turn the fans on automatically

它將自動打開風扇

to keep that moisture content perfect

以保持完美的水分含量

all throughout the whole bin.

整個垃圾箱都是如此。

Between 13.5% and 14.5%,

在13.5%和14.5%之間。

that's what makes that kernel blow up

這就是讓那個內核爆炸的原因

to the highest potential.

到最高的潛力。

Medha: So, I'm touching this kernel right now.

Medha。所以，我現在就在摸這個內核。

Can you by feel know the moisture content?

你能憑感覺知道水分含量嗎？

Brian: No, I wish we could.

布萊恩：不，我希望我們可以。

The way it flows, it's in perfect condition.

它的流動方式，處於完美狀態。

If corn is a little wet, it doesn't flow good.

如果玉米有點溼，它就不容易流動。

Like, when we step in this and the corn slides down,

比如，當我們踩在這個上面，玉米就會滑下來。

that means it's in good condition.

這意味著它處於良好狀態。

It's just nice big kernels of corn.

這只是漂亮的大玉米粒。

But we can keep it for four or five years.

但我們可以保留四、五年的時間。

Medha: Four or five years? Oh, wow!

梅德哈。四、五年了？哦，哇哦!

Brian: That's what's good about popcorn.

布萊恩：這就是爆米花的好處。

It has that real hard outer layer, a pericarp, on it,

它有真正堅硬的外層，即果皮，在上面。

so that protects it.

這樣就能保護它。

So as long as we can keep the moisture in and check on it,

是以，只要我們能夠保持水分，並對其進行檢查。

then it'll keep for a long time.

那麼它就能保存很長時間。

You could put field corn in an oven

你可以把田地裡的玉米放在烤箱裡

and try to heat it up, and it will burn

並試圖將其加熱，它將被燒燬

and just kind of explode a little bit.

和只是一種爆炸性的一點點。

Medha: I tried to do that when I was a kid.

梅達。我小的時候就想這麼做。

Brian: [laughing] It will not work.

布萊恩：[笑]這將不會起作用。

But we need to try it.

但我們需要嘗試。

Medha: And that's why, because that corn is way too soft.

梅達。這就是原因，因為那個玉米太軟了。

The kernels are too soft for it to actually pop.

果核太軟，無法真正彈出。

Brian: Yes.

布萊恩：是的。

That's what fills the bin.

這就是填滿垃圾桶的東西。

Medha: Oh, that's what fills the bin?

梅達。哦，這就是填滿垃圾桶的東西？

We're going up a silo, correct?

我們要上一個筒倉，對嗎？

Brian: Yes.

布萊恩：是的。

Medha: All the way to the top.

梅達。一路走到頂。

Oh, my -- wow.

哦，我的 -- 哇。

We're on top of a silo with Brian over here.

我們和布萊恩在這裡的筒倉上面。

Holy moly.

我的媽呀。

We're going down.

我們要下去了。

So, we're on top of?

那麼，我們是在?

Brian: We're on top of -- there's about

布萊恩：我們在......那裡有大約

2 million pounds of corn in this bin

這個倉裡有200萬磅的玉米

that we're standing on top of.

我們站在上面的。

Medha: Oh, my God, imagine if we sunk in.

梅德哈。哦，我的上帝，想象一下，如果我們沉入水中。

Brian: [laughing] Yes.

布萊恩：[笑]是的。

Medha: So 2 million pounds.

梅德哈。所以200萬英鎊。

Brian: 2 million pounds of popcorn.

布萊恩：200萬磅的爆米花。

Medha: Holy moly.

梅達。我的媽呀。

Brian: Oh. So if it, I guess if this popped up,

布萊恩哦。所以，如果它，我想如果這個突然出現了。

it would be 48 times the size of this bin, popped.

它將是這個垃圾桶大小的48倍，彈出。

So think of that.

所以要想清楚。

Medha: Wow. So imagine 48 of these silos,

梅達。哇。是以，想象一下48個這樣的筒倉。

these sandboxes.

這些沙箱。

All right, we're coming back up.

好了，我們要回來了。

I'm gonna try to unload all the --

我將嘗試卸下所有的......。

When the kernels have reached the optimal moisture level,

當果核達到最佳水分水準時。

they go through a series of sorting machines,

它們要經過一系列的分揀機。

where size, shape, color, and cleanliness

尺寸、形狀、顏色和清潔度的地方

are taken into consideration,

慮到了。

while foreign materials like cobs are eliminated

而像玉米芯這樣的外來材料則被淘汰了

through an air-generation system.

通過一個空氣生成系統。

During this step, teeny-tiny kernels are separated

在這個步驟中，細小的內核被分離出來

if, for example, they don't meet popability requirements.

如果，例如，他們不符合流行性的要求。

These lighter kernels unfit for human consumption

這些較輕的果核不適合人類食用

are separated through a gravity table

通過重力臺進行分離

and transported to a bin for cattle feed.

並將其運到牛的飼料倉中。

For the lucky kernels, it's time for packaging.

對於幸運的果核，現在是包裝的時候了。

Brian: The bags are on a conveyor belt here,

布賴恩：這些袋子在這裡的傳送帶上。

and it goes down and then it slides them down.

然後它往下走，再把它們滑下來。

The corn is in a bin above us.

玉米就在我們上面的一個倉裡。

They hold about 6,000 pounds each.

它們每個能容納約6000磅的重量。

And as they fill,

而當他們充滿。

that's weighing the exact amount out

這是在稱出準確的數量

and then dropping the corn down into the bag.

然後把玉米扔到袋子裡。

A normal load is 900 bags.

正常的負荷是900袋。

Medha: 900?

Medha: 900？

Brian: Yes. And we've had to do 10 loads a day,

布萊恩：是的。而且我們不得不每天做10次裝載。

so we process approximately 9,000 bags per day.

是以，我們每天處理大約9000個袋子。

Medha: Here at Preferred Popcorn, kernels are packed,

梅達。在Preferred Popcorn這裡，果核被包裝起來。

shipped, and sold to high-end clientele,

運送，並出售給高端客戶。

movie theaters, and grocery stores.

電影院和雜貨店。

Brian and his team take out one bag

布萊恩和他的團隊拿出一個袋子

out of every first and fifth pallet,

在每一個第一和第五個托盤中都有一個。

dump it out on a table with bright lights,

把它倒在有明亮燈光的桌子上。

and check the kernels by hand as a final test.

並用手檢查果核，作為最後的測試。

Brian: We're looking for anything that would be

布賴恩：我們正在尋找任何會是

not popcorn in here, like a weed seed or a stick.

不是爆米花在這裡，像一個雜草的種子或一個棍子。

Something that would be introduced from the farmer's field

將從農民的田地中引入的東西

into the combine as he's harvesting.

在收割的時候，他把這些東西放到聯合收割機裡。

What we're doing is double-checking our cleaning equipment,

我們正在做的是仔細檢查我們的清潔設備。

making sure that it was thorough

確保它是徹底的

with getting everything out

把所有東西都拿出來

and having a very nice finished product

並有一個非常好的成品

to be ready to ship.

以準備發貨。

Out of that corn, we take out

從這些玉米中，我們取出了

250 grams of popcorn.

250克的爆米花。

We're going to add a half a cup of coconut oil

我們要加入半杯椰子油

and put it in an MWVT tester.

並把它放在MWVT測試器中。

And what it is, it's testing what the percentage

它是什麼，它是測試什麼百分比的

of expansion is from the weight.

膨脹的原因是來自於重量。

So we have to let the temperature get up to 480 degrees.

所以我們必須讓溫度上升到480度。

And that's why this is a special popper.

這就是為什麼這是一個特殊的爆裂物。

It's different than what you would see in a movie theater

這與你在電影院看到的情況不同

because it has the consistent temperature of 480 degrees,

因為它有480度的穩定溫度。

where a movie-theater popper will heat up and cool down.

在這裡，一個電影院的爆米花將加熱和冷卻。

This will stay consistent.

這將保持一致。

Medha: So, with the popcorn that we're testing today,

梅達。所以，用我們今天測試的爆米花。

how many times more than the kernel should it expand to?

它應該擴展到比內核多多少倍？

Brian: Mushroom corns will pop about 30 to 33 times,

布萊恩蘑菇雞冠會彈出大約30到33次。

and butterfly corns will pop 42 to 48 times expansion.

和蝴蝶雞冠會爆出42至48倍的擴張。

So it means you're going to get more servings.

所以這意味著你會得到更多的份量。

That popped really good.

啪的一聲，真的很好。

Popped to about a 35, 34 to 35,

蹦到了35左右，34到35。

which is really, really good.

這真的非常非常好。

What we're looking for is a round ball with no wings on it.

我們要找的是一個圓球，上面沒有翅膀。

This would be a mushroom kernel, but it has wings on it.

這應該是一個蘑菇核，但它上面有翅膀。

So we're trying to get just round balls.

是以，我們正試圖得到的只是圓球。

And then we have a farmer that gets this

然後我們有一個農民，得到了這個

and feeds it to his chickens.

並把它餵給他的雞。

Medha: Once the test is complete,

梅達。一旦測試完成。

2,500 popcorn bags are shrink-wrapped

2,500個爆米花包裝袋被收縮包裝

with net and plastic and stacked onto a pallet.

用網和塑膠，堆放在一個托盤上。

Brian: Leaving the farm.

布萊恩。離開了農場。

Medha: Preferred Popcorn ships about three and a half loads

梅達。首選爆米花的運輸量約為3.5噸

of its Monster Mushroom variety

其怪物蘑菇品種的

to Chicago's Nuts on Clark once a month.

每月到芝加哥克拉克街的堅果店一次。

They're known for adding classic toppings

他們以添加經典配料而聞名

like cheese and caramel,

如奶酪和焦糖。