14 Experiment Station Bulletin 367 



anthesis.* For Asgrow No. 4, ,the fresh sample weighed from 467 - 698 

 g. and for Bountiful No. 3, from 641 - 748 g. 



When fresh samples were analyzed for ascorbic acid or carotene, pH 

 determinations were run (Beckman pH meter). For samples picked on 

 July 23, the acidity was noted to decrease progressively with an increase 

 in size (maturity) from pH 5.45 for No. 1 to 6.20 for No. 6. This is a 

 five-fold decrease in acidity. This same trend in pH was noted (among 

 sizes) on Bountiful beans picked August 21, and for Asgrows on July 28, 

 July 30, and August 3. 



The average ascorbic acid content of the fresh Asgrow and Bountiful 

 snap beans, regardless of sizes studied, was practically the same, being 

 within ± 6 mg. of 20 mg. per gm. fresh weight. In the preserving studies, 

 when considering the total ascorbic acid in the container (water and 

 solids), home-canned Bountiful No. 3 and Asgrow No. 4 each lost from 

 70 to 74 per cent during six months' storage. For the same period, com- 

 mercially-canned Bountiful lost 48 per cent and Asgrow 65 per cent. For 

 frozen samples, Bountiful No. 2 lost 72 per cent, No. 3 60 per cent, As- 

 grow No. 4 62 per cent and Asgrow No. 5 35 per cent. Processing 

 caused the largest proportion of these losses in home-canned and freez- 

 ing, whereby Bountiful beans lost 70 per cent in home canning and 36 

 per cent in freezing. In Asgrows the losses from home canning amounted 

 to 42 per cent and from freezing 32 per cent. Processing of the com- 

 mercially-canned beans caused the least loss of any method; 13 per cent 

 for Bountiful and 22 per cent for Asgrow. During the course of the 

 study it was noted in both commercially-canned and home-canned sam- 

 ples that after the first diffusion of the material into the liquids there was 

 a relatively small change in the total ascorbic acid content of the liquids 

 during storage in comparison to the large changes in the ascorbic acid 

 content of the solids. The amount of liquid in the commercially-canned 

 containers is always practically the same, but it is difficult to regulate the 

 amount in the home-canned jars; therefore, no exact comparison can be 

 made between a jar and a can, or between jars, except on total amount of 

 ascorbic acid per package. While conducting these studies pH determi- 

 nations were run on some of the products. For five processings (14 sam- 

 ples) home canning and freezing caused an increase in acidity, in some 

 cases as high as 3.2 times the original acidity, while in two samples frozen 

 for six months the acidity was decreased beyond the original pH, the de- 

 crease amounting to twice the acidity when being processed. 



All samples of fresh Asgrow No. 4 beans, one of which was frozen, 

 contained more carotene than the one fresh sample of Bountiful No. 3 

 which was preserved. The Asgrows ranged from 1.2 to 2.2 meg. caro- 

 tene /g. while the Bountifuls ranged from 0.8 to 0.9 meg/g. Processing, 

 previous to all three types of preservation, caused an apparent increase in 

 the carotene content of both varieties. In the Bountifuls, the apparent 

 increase was greater in the home- and commercially-canned samples 

 (ranging from 3.4 to 3.9 meg/g.) than in the frozen pack (ranging from 

 2.2 to 2.7 meg/g.) The carotene content of either variety of stored beans 



*C. H. Mahoney et. al., Am. Soc. for Hort. Sci., vol. 41, 1942. 



