Parameters for predicting canning quality of dry kidney beans

Mechanical damage to dry kidney beans was assessed using hot and cold water soak‐tests at 20 and 80°C, respectively. Damage was revealed as the middle lamella dissolved and the seed coats were released with zero order kinetics. Damage exposed in soak‐tests had no cause‐and‐effect relationship to damage found in the cans after thermal processing. However, significant correlations were found between both kidney bean density and seed coat weight, and the proportion of damaged beans in the can after processing (P <0.01). The proportion of damaged beans found in the can after thermal processing increased significantly when the ratio of the seed coat weight to bean volume ratio was < 10 g ml−1. These two simple measurable parameters offer potential for predicting canning quality of kidney beans.