Toxins in Dried Beans

Back to the Dried Beans Menu Consumers should be aware that it is not safe to eat raw or undercooked kidney and soya beans. There is no need to avoid them as long as they are thoroughly cooked. The temperatures achieved in pressure cooking are adequate to destroy both hemaglutins and the trypsin inhibitor. Pressure cooking also considerably reduces cooking times Red kidney beans: Incidents of food poisoning have been reported associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked red kidney beans. Symptoms may develop after eating only four raw beans and include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain followed by diarrhrea. For this reason, kidney beans must not be sprouted. A naturally occurring hemaglutin is responsible for the illness, but can be destroyed by high temperature cooking, making the beans completely safe to eat. The beans must boil for 10 minutes to destroy the toxin. Basic pressure cooker instructions: Kidney beans should be soaked for at least 8 hours in enough cold water to keep them covered, keep refrigerated to avoid spouting. After soaking, drain and rinse the beans, discarding the soaking water. Put the beans in the cooker and add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Lock the lid in place. Bring to 15psi and then reduced the heat to just maintain that pressure. Cook 10-12 minutes and then remove from heat, using the natural release method to open the lid. Beans should have an even creamy texture throughout - if the center is still hard and white, they require longer cooking. Soya Soy beans: Contain an anti-trypsin factor (or trypsin inhibitor) which prevents the assimilation of the amino acid methionine. Soya beans also require careful cooking to ensure destruction of this factor. Basic pressure cooker instructions: Soya beans should be soaked for at least 12 hours in enough cold water to keep them covered, keep refrigerated to avoid spouting. After soaking, drain and rinse the beans, discarding the soaking water. Put the beans in the cooker and add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Lock the lid in place. Bring to 15psi and then reduced the heat to just maintain that pressure. Cook 35-45 minutes and then remove from heat, using the natural release method to open the lid. Beans should mash easily with a fork - if the center is still hard they require longer cooking.