What would a target percent humidity be for processing popped popcorn?

What would a target percent humidity be for processing food, specifically popped popcorn.

We are a contract manufacturer and our customer/supplier thinks the humidity in our processing room is causing the popcorn to go soggy after its being packaged. We do not pop the popcorn, only package it. As the popcorn sits in our warehouse it is not getting soggy (its stored in large corrugate totes with a liner, then tied) so they think this is happening in our processing room (which the popcorn is only in for maybe less than an hour). We just purchased a couple hygrometers to monitor the humidity throughout our building but not sure what our standard/target should be? We recently installed a cold air unit in that processing room as well hoping that will help. 

We are in Michigan where the humidity can get pretty bad, especially around this time. 

All thoughts welcome. 

Thanks!!

I'd be taking a close look at the cold air unit as the potential culprit.

I've had clients in the snack industry, including popcorn - both popped and bagged and like your company as well.

The norm seems to be 2% max for humidity for these clients and at the larger companies that popped.

Dehumidifiers? 

We do have a large, industrial grade (??) dehumidifier that we run after we wash down the room. I was going to give that a try if the rooms humidity was still running high. Currently it is at about 47% inside the room. 

Dehumidifiers? 

We just installed the unit after the issue thinking it would help by cooling the room. I went back and asked them if they know the humidity in the room the popcorn is bring popped. 

I'd be taking a close look at the cold air unit as the potential culprit.

 

I've had clients in the snack industry, including popcorn - both popped and bagged and like your company as well.

 

The norm seems to be 2% max for humidity for these clients and at the larger companies that popped.

Also you mentioned this happens when it sits in your processing room and not warehouse (I think you think thats the case), but warehouses are usually hotter with higher humidity. And theres probably other product in there, correct? We have the same issue to when it comes to Corn Husks used for Tamales. They get moist and grow mold when they sit in our warehouse (Florida Humidity). So we moved them to a colder room and it seems to be going better. 

Yes, the customer/brand we are packaging for believes this is the case. They believe this because when they were visiting, they sampled the popped popcorn out of the tote that was sitting in our warehouse and it was crunchy. Then they sampled a packed bag that we had sent them and it was soggy. The thing is, it only sits in our processing room, exposed to the elements you could say, for the short time it rides up the conveyor into the scale system. The other thing is, not every bag is soggy... its a mystery.  :headhurts:

Also you mentioned this happens when it sits in your processing room and not warehouse (I think you think thats the case), but warehouses are usually hotter with higher humidity. And theres probably other product in there, correct? We have the same issue to when it comes to Corn Husks used for Tamales. They get moist and grow mold when they sit in our warehouse (Florida Humidity). So we moved them to a colder room and it seems to be going better. 

I don't understand why it is a mystery - from what I read that you have posted it appears that your humid level is way too high.

1-2% is target.

Well it depends on the duration it has been in that warehouse! Did they sample a recently received popcorn shipment? Obviously by the time it gets to your processing room for packaging it's going to pick up humidity! I mean...right? You're saying not every bag, are all the same lot #? Also what material do you package your product in? 

I don't understand why it is a mystery - from what I read that you have posted it appears that your humid level is way too high.

 

1-2% is target.

1-2% for the product itself? Because she said the "room" itself reads 47% humidity. I'm confused. Because it's hard to achieve a surrounding humidity of 1-2%. 

It's a mystery that never every run ends up soggy as well as not every bag in every run. Also, some popcorn in the bag isn't even soggy but some is. It's never soggy when it sits in the warehouse which is only slightly temperature controlled (75 degrees, 47% humidity). Our processing room is 68 degrees, also at about 47% humidity. 

It will sit in the warehouse anywhere from 1 day to a couple weeks. They sampled some that had been sitting in our warehouse for maybe 2 weeks? And yeah, I would agree. Yes, all the same lot number. It's a foil lined form fill and seal, no nitrogen is being used. I should probably use the word soft rather than soggy. Our customer uses soggy... They want all the popcorn to crunch. 

Well it depends on the duration it has been in that warehouse! Did they sample a recently received popcorn shipment? Obviously by the time it gets to your processing room for packaging it's going to pick up humidity! I mean...right? You're saying not every bag, are all the same lot #? Also what material do you package your product in? 

1-2% for the product itself? Because she said the "room" itself reads 47% humidity. I'm confused. Because it's very hard to achieve a surrounding humidity of 1-2%. 

No, not the product - the rooms in which it is produced and stored -- 47% is EXCESSIVE!  - 1-2% is norm.

No, not the product - the rooms in which it is produced and stored -- 47% is EXCESSIVE!  - 1-2% is norm.

Okay Got it. But she is saying warehouse & rooms have about the same % humidity and in the warehouse, they are crunchier than when they get packaged, 

The company that is popping the popcorn is saying around 60% is ideal... Which I feel is too high. I was looking at what ideal % humidity is for items like sugar and powder processing plants and they are saying 20-45%.We have another test run potentially tomorrow so I guess we will see how it goes. I have our dehumidifier going as well which should lower it ever more, but not sure how to get it down to 1-2%.  

The company that is popping the popcorn is saying around 60% is ideal... Which I feel is too high. I was looking at what ideal % humidity is for items like sugar and powder processing plants and they are saying 20-45%.We have another test run potentially tomorrow so I guess we will see how it goes. I have our dehumidifier going as well which should lower it ever more, but not sure how to get it down to 1-2%.  

Now before popcorn pops, the kernel itself has trapped moisture inside. And when you expose it to heat that's when it pops. So it may contain small amounts of moisture when popped and along with surrounding environment it can contribute to the chewiness. Which is why I think it's inconsistent that some are chewy, some are crunchy. I guess you may need to check in with your supplier like you said and keep monitoring those dehumidifiers. I myself don't exactly know how you can achieve that much of a low humidity, given that when we breath, it's water vapor (I would think that environment wouldn't be comfortable to even work in!)... ps: I'm sitting at my desk at work craving popcorn now! :)

This is a really good point and I appreciate the feedback! I will share this with our customer and we will see how our next run goes. 

Thanks again! (and sorry for the cravings)  :sleazy: