Physical and Mechanical Properties of Selected Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Cultivated in Tanzania

Abstract

The physical and mechanical properties of foods are important, if not essential, in the design of suitable systems, machines, and structures for planting, harvesting, handling and processing of agro-products. Phaseolus vulgaris L. is a popular legume species that play an important role in human diet and among easily available sources of plant protein. However, despite its important roles, there is a lack of information on the physical and mechanical properties of common beans cultivated in Tanzania. The objective of this study was therefore focused on experimental determination of physical and mechanical properties for Uyole-96, Kablanketi, and Wanja, common beans cultivars grown in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Experimental results showed that the average length, width, and thickness were 19.96 mm, 8.97 mm, and 7.6 mm at a moisture content of 17.15% dry basis (db.), 13.92% db., and 14.64% db. for Uyole-96, Kablanketi, and Wanja, respectively. The results further show that the average mean diameters (D a ) were 10.93, 9.35, and 9.55 mm for Uyole-96, Kablanketi, and Wanja, respectively. The geometric mean diameters (D g ) were 9.66, 8.35, and 8.80 mm for Uyole-96, Kablanketi, and Wanja, respectively, whereas sphericity was found to be 53, 64, and 58% for the same types of beans. Repose angle measuremnts were experimentally determined as 40, 36, and 35 degrees for Uyole-96, Kablanketi, and Wanja, respectively. Weight for apparent density analysis was 709.27, 686.30, and 766.10 kg/m 3 for Uyole-96, Kablanketi, and Wanja, respectively, whereas the apparent densities were determined as 1142, 1158, and 1327 kg/m 3 , respectively, for the same types of beans. Results from the study showed that physical and mechanical properties for Uyole-96, Kablanketi, and Wanja differ significantly from other common beans cultivars cultivated in other countries. Data on physical and mechanical properties determined in this study establishes a convenient reference table for the mechanization and processing of Tanzanian common beans cultivars .

Geometric Characteristics and Mass-Volume-Area Properties of Haricot Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): Effect of Variety

“…The seeds mass of improved haricot beans varied from 0.20 to 0.51 g. The highest seed mass was observed in SAB 632 variety. The haricot bean seed is heavier than soybean which is between 0.11 and 0.18 g reported by Tunde-Akintude et al [20] but the mass of the SAB 632 variety was in tune with the observations of Palilo et al [21] for common beans Wanja variety grown in Tanzania, which is 0.50 g. According to the classification of bean size adopted by De Barros and Prudencio, [22] the haricot beans studied were considered small, except the beans from the SAB 632 variety, which were classified as big.…”

“…The average length of the improved haricot beans ranged from 11.12 to 13.09 mm, while the corresponding width ranged from 6.23 to 8.41 mm. Comparisons in terms of length and width indicate that SAB 632 variety is longer and wider than SER 119, SER 125 and Awash 2 varieties and is within the range of 13.71-18.32 mm (length) and 7.61 to 8.97 mm (width) reported by Palilo et al [21] for common beans cultivated in Tanzania. The thickness of the improved haricot bean is found to be between 4.79 and 7.01 mm, and the highest was recorded for SAB 632 variety, while the lowest was for SER 125 variety.…”

“…The values are lower than that reported for Indian kidney bean cultivars, 33.6% to 37.5% and 15.20 to 18.67 � , [16] 35 to 40 � for common beans grown in Tanzania. [21] Seeds with low porosity take a long time to dry, while seeds with higher porosity have greater aeration and water vapor diffusion during the drying process. The angle of repose of the haricot bean measured in the present study is higher than 6.09 to 8.40 � for soybean.…”

Identification of Dry Bean Varieties Based on Multiple Attributes Using CatBoost Machine Learning Algorithm

“…For the majority of food products, visual characteristics are the primary criterion used by consumers when making purchasing decisions [3]. Like other legume species, common beans show the most variation in terms of growth patterns, physical features (size, shape, and shading), maturity, and ability to grow and adapt [4,5]. Sorting and classifying bean seeds manually is a time-consuming process.…”

Mechanical Behaviour of Common Bean (cv. Butter) Seeds as Affected by Maturation

“…Different cultivars of common bean are cultivated for their edible seeds and leaves. Common bean leaves are rich in vitamins and minerals, and are used as vegetable in soups preparations [1]. The common beans seed is quite rich in vitamins, proteins, dietary fiber, total carbohydrate, and minerals, but very poor in cholesterol and saturated fat; making it one of the best food crops [2][3][4].…”