Essential Elements and Cadmium and Lead in Fresh, Canned, and Frozen Green Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Sixteen essential elements, cadmium and lead were determined in fresh, canned, and frozen green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Samples were taken during processing to determine where changes in element content occurred. Canned green beans contained lower concentrations of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, but had higher amounts of chloride, nickel, and sodium than fresh beans. No change in silicon was observed. Iron, phosphorus and potassium were lower in frozen than in fresh green beans, but calcium, sodium and zinc were higher. There was no change in chloride, copper, magnesium, manganese and silicon due to freezing. Element retention ranged from 51 - 100% for canned and from 73 - 171% for frozen green beans.