Are kidney beans that split and wrinkle during soaking process safe to consume?
After 5 hours of soaking I find my dried kidney beans' skin wrinkled and some split in two, however my main concern is phytohaemagglutinin and the fact now that some beans are split open and lost their skin (shell) microbes have access to inside.
Safe as in not causing any illnesses, upset stomach and life threatening situations.
Best Answer
Phytohaemagglutinin is found in the highest concentrations in uncooked red kidney beans and white kidney beans (also known as cannellini), and it is also found in lower quantities in many other types of green beans and other common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), as well as broad beans (Vicia faba) such as fava beans. Poisoning can be induced from as few as five raw beans. The amount of phytohaemagglutinin can be reduced to safe levels by correct cooking (boiling for at least 30 minutes at 100 °C/ 212 °F). Insufficient cooking, such as in a slow cooker at 80 °C/ 176 °F can increase this danger and raise the available haemagglutinating units (hau) up to fivefold.
Most microorganism, or microbes, can be greatly reduced by proper cooking.
Low acid foods, such as beans that have been stored incorrectly, can be a source of botulism.
The above information is sourced from Wikipedia. The blog article: "Crockpots, Slow Cooking Dried Beans & Phytohaemagglutinin" suggests:
- Soak the dried beans in water for at least five hours (some recommend soaking the beans for at least twelve hours)
- Discard the soaking water which will contain leached out toxins
- Rinse the beans and cover them with fresh water
- Boil the beans (rapid boil) for at least ten minutes
- It is then safe to add the beans to the slow cooker and proceed with the recipe
It is important to do your own research and not rely on any single source of advice.
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Can I eat wrinkled beans?
If they don't change in size, or are visibly wrinkly or shriveled, your beans are probably too old. If it seems like just a few of the beans are wrinkled, pick them out and proceed.Why did my kidney beans split while soaking?
Beans split when cooking because the interior of the bean rehydrates more quickly than the slightly tough exterior, causing it to expand, and pop out of the skin. This can be avoided by soaking the beans, to soften the skins, and by thoroughly salting the beans' cooking water.Can you eat split kidney beans?
Cooked dried beans cost much less and taste so much better than canned beans. So save money and eat well by cooking dried kidney beans, split or whole.How do you tell if soaked beans are spoiled?
Soaked beans can go bad and illness-causing bacteria can grow on them. They will normally smell and become slimy once they've gone bad, so you should be able to tell. Soaked beans can also ferment or sprout. This doesn't mean the beans are bad, but they might taste different.Why You Should Soak Beans Overnight Before Cooking
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.