Water Absorption, Hard Shell and Cooking Time of Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Abstract

Legumes play an important role in human nutrition, especially among low-income human groups in
developing countries. Beans are particularly important in Brazil for two reasons: Brazil is the largest
producer ans consumer of grain legumes in the world and the fact that beans are a major source of
protein for many people. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hard-shell percentage in seven
common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L) cultivars, by using the Burr cooking method before and after
soaking. The following cultivars developed by Embrapa Rice and Beans, in Santo Antônio de Goiás –
GO, obtained from the same area and planting time (winter) were used: BRS Vereda (rosinha); BRS
Timbó (roxinho); BRS Grafite (preto); BRS Radiante (rajado); BRS – Pontal (carioca); BRS Marfim
(mulatinho) and Jalo Precoce (jalo). The results revealed significant differences (p<0.05) among the
cultivars in relation to hard-shell and cooking time (before and after soaking). The cultivar Jalo Precoce
(jalo) presented the highest percentage of hard-shell (42%) and cooking time (67.5 minutes) without
previous soaking. The cultivars BRS Timbó (roxinho); BRS Grafite (preto); BRS Pontal (carioca), and
BRS Marfim (mulatinho) did not present hard-shell grains.