Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, CA
Abstract
The traditional gravimetric and volumetric methods of measuring water imbibition were compared to a new method, water-holding capacity, to study water uptake in black bean cotyledons with and without the hard-to-cook defect. Water-holding capacity was found to be more reliable in measuring water taken up by the cotyledon since the former methods measure gross water uptake, including a layer of bulk water existing between the seedcoat and cotyledons of hard-to-cook beans. Total water uptake, as measure by the water absorption method was greatest for hard-to-cook beans. Using the water-holding capacity method, however, hard-to-cook beans were found to bind approximately 25% less water during soaking than control beans
