Effect of calcium on pouch processing quality in organic dry beans (<i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i>) and comparison of processing quality in cans and pouches

Abstract As consumer demand for organic dry beans increases, improvement of product quality is needed. Cooked organic beans are available to consumers in cans (traditional) and pouches (newer). While pouch-processed bean products are convenient, their product quality still lags behind canned beans, especially in organic products where additives like calcium chloride, used to maintain firmness, are discouraged. This study evaluated the impact of calcium chloride on the quality of pouch-processed organic beans and compared the quality of canned vs. pouch-processed beans. Adding calcium during hydration but not in brine can improve bean texture without compromising a clean label. Canning quality and pouch processing quality were positively correlated (R = 0.73, p &amp;lt; .001), suggesting the bean varieties selected for canning quality can be used for pouch products. These findings can benefit the organic dry bean industry by providing methods to enhance the processing quality of organically produced dry beans.