Uniformly-colored, flavored, microwaveable popcorn

In a kit for preparing flavored popcorn with microwaves compromising:

• an elongate bag with a pair of ends between which a front panel, a back panel, and inwardly-folded gussetted side panels connecting the front panel and the back panel extend containing a plurality of corn kernels and solidified oil or shortening as ingredients, the ingredients substantially filling said bag cross-sectionally equidistant from the ends of the bag, said bag being a laminate having an outer paper layer, an inner layer of greaseproof paper, and a microwave susceptor between the inner and outer layers in the front panel of said bag, said bag being suitable for placement in a microwave oven to effect popping of the corn kernels with microwaves to form popped corn kernels;
• a sealed flexible packet formed from a laminate having layers of a polymeric material, metal foil, and paper and containing a powdered flavoring formulation comprising a food color, the powdered flavoring formulation being of different color than said popped corn kernels and being present only in an amount at which, when said flavoring is applied to the plurality of popped corn kernels, said popped corn kernels have a mottled appearance, wherein the improvement comprises incorporating in said bag a food color substantially similar to the food color in the powdered flavoring formulation and in an amount such that, during microwave popping of the corn kernels, the food color in said bag is distributed and coats the popped corn so that when the powdered flavoring formulation in said packet is applied to the popcorn in said bag, after its removal from the microwave oven, flavored popcorn product with a uniform, unmottled, and pleasing appearance is produced.

In a product for preparing flavored popcorn with microwaves comprising:

• an elongate bag with a pair of ends between which a front panel, a back panel, and inwardly-folded gussetted side panels connecting the front panel and the back panel extend, said bag being a laminate having an outer paper layer, an inner layer of greaseproof paper, and a microwave susceptor between the inner and outer layers in the front panel of said bag, said bag being suitable for placement in a microwave over to effect popping of the corn kernels with microwaves to form popped corn kernels and
• popcorn ingredients substantially filling said elongate bag cross-sectionally equidistant from the ends of the bag, said popcorn ingredients comprising a plurality of corn kernels, solidified oil or shortening, and a powdered flavoring formulation comprising a food color, the powdered flavoring formulation being of different color than said popped corn kernels and being present only in an amount at which, when said flavoring is applied to the plurality of popped corn kernels, said popped corn kernels having a mottled appearance, wherein the improvement comprises incorporating in said bag a food color substantially similar to the food color in the powdered flavoring formulation and in an amount such that, during microwave popping of the corn kernels, the food color in said bag is distributed and coats the popped corn so that when the powdered flavoring formulation is applied to the popcorn, a flavored popcorn product with a uniform, unmottled, and pleasing appearance is produced.