Effect of Soaking Temperature on Cooking and Nutritional Quality of Beans

California small white beans were soaked at different temperatures, in 10°C increments, from 20° C to 90°C, until maximum imbibition was achieved. Losses of total solids, N compounds, total sugars, oligosaccharides, Ca, Mg, and three water‐soluble vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin and niacin) were measured and found to be very small at soaking temperatures up to 50°C. An increase in those losses of from three‐ to fourfold was found when the soaking temperature was raised to 60° C or above. Cooking rates followed a bell‐shaped pattern with the peak, longest cooking time, being for beans soaked at 70°C and shortest cooking time for beans soaked at 90° C. Cooking rates corresponded closely to the amount of organic phosphate left in the beans after soaking at the different temperatures.