Title: Effective hermetic storage technology for preserving common dry beans

Authors: Hadijah Meeme; Dorothy Nakimbugwe; Dieudonne Baributsa

Addresses: Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda ' Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda ' Department of Entomology, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA

Abstract: This study evaluated the effectiveness of Purdue improved crop storage (PICS) bags in preserving the quality of two common bean varieties over three months in Uganda. Consumers' preferred Nambale short (NS) and yellow short (YS) bean varieties were studied. Results showed that NS beans stored in PICS bags outperformed those in PP bags (control) across several metrics: lower moisture content (10.51 ± 0.04 vs. 12.80 ± 0.04%), reduced insect infestation (3.50 ± 0.04 vs. 47.00 ± 0.04 insects), less grain damage (6.60 ± 0.08 vs. 37.26 ± 0.08%), lower weight loss (0.55 ± 0.13 vs. 3.15 ± 0.13%), shorter cooking time (183.75 ± 0.06 vs. 251.10 ± 0.06 min), a higher germination rate (95.00 ± 0.20 vs. 87.00 ± 0.20%), and greater overall acceptability (6.65 ± 0.18 vs. 6.04 ± 0.18). Similar benefits were observed for YS beans stored in PICS bags. The PICS bags effectively preserved the physicochemical, culinary, and sensory quality characteristics of NS and YS beans over three months, making them a viable storage solution for common dry beans.

Keywords: grain storage; postharvest loss; insect pests; PICS bags; common dry bean; quality preservation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPTI.2024.144953

International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 2024 Vol.9 No.4, pp.291 - 304

Received: 02 Feb 2024
Accepted: 13 Oct 2024
Published online: 13 Mar 2025 *

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