Thiamin and ascorbic acid content and retention were determined in raw, blanched, pouched and canned green beans immediately after processing and after storage for four months at room temperature or at 37.5°C. Ascorbic acid was also determined in raw, pouched and canned Royal Ann cherries immediately after processing and after storage for six months at room temperature. Five replicates of green beans and three replicates of cherries were assayed. Compared to the raw green beans, the blanched green beans were higher in apparent thiamin and lower in ascorbic acid. There was significantly more thiamin and ascorbic acid in the pouched green beans and more ascorbic acid in the pouched cherries than in the canned ones. There were no significant losses in these two vitamins in the pouched and canned products after four months storage at room temperature. These vitamins, however, were significantly lower in the pouched and canned products after four months storage at 37.8°C. The liquid portions of the pouched products had significantly higher concentrations of these water soluble vitamins than the canned ones. However, the total amount of liquid portion was lower in the pouched than in the canned products, leading to smaller total vitamin losses in the pouched products. Canned green beans were yellower and lighter in color than pouched green beans. Pouched cherries were significantly darker red than the canned cherries. The pouched products were firmer in texture than the canned. Results of this study demonstrate that pouched green beans and cherries have a better nutritional value, color and texture than the canned ones. / Graduation date: 1983

A quality problem that frequently occurs with frozen green beans is the sloughing of the skin (epidermal tissues) of the cooked, ready-to- serve bean pods. It was found that by giving the beans a pre-blanch (relatively mild heat treatment) prior to the blanch treatment normally used for frozen green beans, on cooking, sloughing was markedly reduced, and furthermore, the bean pods were firmer. As an additional heat treatment was involved, over and above what is now used for commercial packs of frozen green beans, it was of interest to know the extent to which the color of the beans was affected. Also of interest was the effect of storage at 0°F for four months on the color of the beans. The color changes in the dual and single blanched green beans were evaluated by two methods: (1) a physical analysis of the light reflected from the beans (Hunter Color and Color Difference Meter) and, (2) a physical analysis of the light absorbing properties of the pigments extracted from the beans and subsequent calculation of the per cent conversion of chlorophyll to pheophytin. Texture (firmness), as indicated by resistance to shear, was measured by a modified Kramer Shear Press. A mechanical device was used to determine the amount of sloughing of the skins of the bean pods. After a statistical analysis of the data collected in the experiment, the following conclusions were drawn: 1. The firmness of the cooked, dual and single blanched, frozen green beans, as measured by the shear press, was found to be highly significantly negatively correlated with sloughing of the skins. 2. There was no change in lightness or darkness of the color of single or dual blanched beans over storage at 0°F for four months. The Hunter "-a [subscript L]/b [subscript L]" index of color noted a significant change in hue from green towards yellow of the single and dual blanched beans. The conversion of chlorophyll to pheophytin was not significant over storage. 3. The color of those beans receiving the 200°F - 150 second final blanch (single blanch) was the same as the color of those beans receiving the 210°F - 105 second final blanch (single blanch). 4. As the time and temperature of the pre-blanch increased, there was a corresponding increase in the amount of chlorophyll converted to pheophytin, and a change in the visual color of the beans from green towards yellow. The effect of variations of time of preblanch was much greater on the color of the dual blanched beans than the effect of variations of temperature of pre-blanch. 5. As the time and temperature of the pre-blanch increased, the texture (firmness) of the cooked dual blanched beans increased. The 200°F - 150 second final blanch resulted in beans that were firmer than beans receiving the 210°F - 105 second final blanch, 6. A pre-blanch at 170°F for 30 seconds followed by a final blanch at 200°F for 150 seconds was found to result in beans that were similar in color, yet firmer in texture (less sloughing of the skins) than the single blanched beans. / Graduation date: 1963

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Graduation date: 1964

The responses of 'Oregon 1604' snap beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), 'Early Thorogreen' lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus L.), and 'Takii's Extra Early' soybeans (Glycine max L.) to two methods of inoculation with rhizobium (seedcoating and furrow treatments) and rates of nitrogen fertilizer were studied in field experiments. Nitrogen rates ranged from 0 to 84 kg/ha. Nodulation was increased significantly by inoculation but decreased by nitrogen fertilization in three crops. Yield of snap beans was increased significantly from increasing nitrogen fertilizer but was not affected by inoculation. Neither nitrogen fertilizer nor inoculation influenced soybean yield. For soybeans and lima beans, furrow inoculation resulted in significantly higher nodulation than the seedcoating treatment. Nodulation of snap beans and soybeans was significantly decreased by nitrogen fertilizer in inoculated plots but not in check plots. Plant weight of lima beans was significantly increased by nitrogen fertilizer only when seedcoating inoculation was used. Plant stands of snap beans were increased 118% by captan seed treatment but nodulation was significantly reduced. / Graduation date: 1978

The seed coat of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) can be considered an important source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are well known for their beneficial effects on health long before they were isolated as effective compounds. Dry beans are typically processed and the seed coats may be removed and discarded prior to consumption. Therefore, a better understanding of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of coloured dry bean seed coats would be beneficial in determining their potential use as an ingredient in the functional food and nutraceutical industry. Flavonol glycosides were identified from acetone extracts of seed coats of black beans, pinto beans, and dark and light red kidney beans, representing nine varieties grown in Manitoba. Based on HPLC-MS/MS, black beans contained the 3-O-glycosides of kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin. Pinto beans contained kaempferol 3-O-glycosides, while light and dark red kidney beans contained quercetin 3-O-glycosides. In addition, we reported the presence of a flavonol triglycoside for the first time in dry bean seed coats. Concentrations of kaempferol-3-O-glucoside were the greatest varying from 0.44 to 7.08 to mg/g of dried seed coat weight, followed by quercetin-3-O-glucoside varying from 0.91 to 3.84 mg/g of dried seed coat weight, and then rutin varying from 0.13 to 0.22 mg/g of dried seed coat weight. The DPPH method demonstrated seed coat crude extracts of Eclipse, a black bean, and Windbreaker, a pinto bean, to have the highest antioxidant activities among the samples. Eclipse, with the maximum concentration of total phenolic compounds, exhibited an antioxidant activity of 57,816 μmol trolox equivalent/100g of dried seed coat weight and Windbreaker, with the maximum concentration of total flavonoid compounds, exhibited an antioxidant activity of 57,451 μmol trolox equivalent/100g of dried seed coat weight. Cellular measures of anti-inflammatory activity of seed coat crude extracts in LPS-induced murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells showed both anti- and pro-inflammatory effects. Extracts of Windbreaker and Eclipse decreased TNF-α levels, suggesting anti-inflammatory properties, while other varieties showed increased levels of TNF-α production, or pro-inflammatory activity. The results indicate seed coats of Windbreaker and Eclipse may have the potential to be used as a functional food ingredient and possibly prevent disease and enhance human health.

The seed coat of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) can be considered an important source of flavonoids. Flavonoids are well known for their beneficial effects on health long before they were isolated as effective compounds. Dry beans are typically processed and the seed coats may be removed and discarded prior to consumption. Therefore, a better understanding of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of coloured dry bean seed coats would be beneficial in determining their potential use as an ingredient in the functional food and nutraceutical industry. Flavonol glycosides were identified from acetone extracts of seed coats of black beans, pinto beans, and dark and light red kidney beans, representing nine varieties grown in Manitoba. Based on HPLC-MS/MS, black beans contained the 3-O-glycosides of kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin. Pinto beans contained kaempferol 3-O-glycosides, while light and dark red kidney beans contained quercetin 3-O-glycosides. In addition, we reported the presence of a flavonol triglycoside for the first time in dry bean seed coats. Concentrations of kaempferol-3-O-glucoside were the greatest varying from 0.44 to 7.08 to mg/g of dried seed coat weight, followed by quercetin-3-O-glucoside varying from 0.91 to 3.84 mg/g of dried seed coat weight, and then rutin varying from 0.13 to 0.22 mg/g of dried seed coat weight. The DPPH method demonstrated seed coat crude extracts of Eclipse, a black bean, and Windbreaker, a pinto bean, to have the highest antioxidant activities among the samples. Eclipse, with the maximum concentration of total phenolic compounds, exhibited an antioxidant activity of 57,816 μmol trolox equivalent/100g of dried seed coat weight and Windbreaker, with the maximum concentration of total flavonoid compounds, exhibited an antioxidant activity of 57,451 μmol trolox equivalent/100g of dried seed coat weight. Cellular measures of anti-inflammatory activity of seed coat crude extracts in LPS-induced murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells showed both anti- and pro-inflammatory effects. Extracts of Windbreaker and Eclipse decreased TNF-α levels, suggesting anti-inflammatory properties, while other varieties showed increased levels of TNF-α production, or pro-inflammatory activity. The results indicate seed coats of Windbreaker and Eclipse may have the potential to be used as a functional food ingredient and possibly prevent disease and enhance human health.

This investigation was conducted to differentiate the esterases in a water extract of freeze-dried green beans on the basis of inhibitor and substrate specificities. An attempt was made to classify these esterases according to the criteria used for animal esterases. Activity of the esterases was measured manometrically using the Gilson differential respirometer. Aqueous extracts of green beans were found to hydrolyze the acetyl, propionyl, and n-butyryl esters of glycerol, phenol, and 2-naphthol-6-SO₃Na. No hydrolysis of triolein or long-chain 2-naphthol-6-SO₃Na esters was noted, indicating the absence of lipases. A small amount of activity was observed when the choline esters served as substrates, but this was attributed to esterases other than cholinesterases. Optimum activity of the extract on triacetin, tripropion, tributyrin, phenyl acetate, and phenyl propionate occurred at pH 7.2. The effects of organophosphorus inhibitors, diethyl p-nitrophenyl thiophosphate, tetraethyl pyrophosphate, and diisopropylphosphorofluoridate, at concentrations ranging from 10⁻¹ M to 10⁻¹⁰ M on the esterase activity was studied. These data show that the green bean extract contains at least three esterases. One was resistant to certain organophosphorus compounds, suggesting similarity to animal arylesterases (aryl ester hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.2). Various concentrations of organophosphorus compounds inhibited the activity of the two other esterases. These were classified as carboxylesterases (carboxylic ester hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.1). / Graduation date: 1968

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State College, 1945. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [49-50]). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.Sc. in Biochem.) -- Mahidol University, 1969.