FOOD I've come to the sad truth that most, not all, of the dried beans in our stores are no longer sproutable

[Wildwood]

I've noticed a change in the dried beans for the last year or two or maybe longer. I can a lot of them and they no longer have the same consistency etc., before and after canning. It's like they've been presoaked and redried or something. Because I wasn't happy with the look, etc. of the dried beans, I considered growing and drying my own and since I doubted their viability as far as sprouting, I tried what I had on hand which was two brands of pintos and one of great northern beans. Of course none have sprouted.

I decided I'd look for some organic ones and might have better luck with them so I went to WM.com first, just to see what was available, along those lines, at the store in my town. That's when I started seeing something I've never seen before. Many of the organic varieties were described as sproutable. Maybe I'm behind and everyone else has known all along that our beans are now being pretreated in some ways that makes them unable to sprout. I'd suspect irradiation but the one's I've used have looked almost slightly precooked the way the hull is wrinkled or loose in places.

I guess I'll check at the hardware and feed stores to see if they have any bulk seed but I'm not optimistic...pretty sure I'll be ordering them or buying the small packets...just to get enough to grow a seed crop this year and to try cooking them fresh to see how I like them. I'll start with pintos and if that works out, I'll try great northern beans next.

I'm not happy that one of our favorite staples is no longer what it use to be and who knows what's being done to them. I have noticed that pinto beans cook in half the time they use to and they are missing something in the flavor department. They need to take them off the lists of items they claim you can grow with what you have in your pantry. Next they will figure out some way to keep the seeds in the fresh produce we get at the grocery from being live.

 

[SlipperySlope]

I wonder if it could be GMO related? I used to sprout mung beans but quit after all the contamination being found in them.

 

[Bps1691]

I’ve had trouble with dried beans from grocery since before covid supply chain issues.

Even using the pressure cooker method and even letting them soak afterwards for 24 hours, they turn out hard. So hard they don’t work well for even refried beans.

The taste is off as well.

I added dried beans to the garden, all open pollinated from a source I’ve used for years and they work like always. Same flavor and soften up like they should.

Almost time to plant here and I’m dying for decent produce again.

All I have to harvest now is spinach, green onions and a small patch of collards. They wintered over in a protect bed I have.

 

[bracketquant]

I've never had a problem germinating store bought dry beans, although I haven't started any this year, yet. As for a wrinkled seed coat, that happens often enough with pinto beans, and several other varieties that I grow.

 

[WalknTrot]

I wonder if some of them are being irradiated - either because the strains are proprietary, or to extend shelf life? I dunno. Don't know that much about current edible bean varieties being grown these days.

 

[desert_fox]

I wonder if it could be GMO related? I used to sprout mung beans but quit after all the contamination being found in them.

More likely they were treated with a anti-sprout coating for storage. They do it with potatoes to keep the cellars fresher.

 

[NHGUNNER]

We've had no trouble sprouting lentils. We've been doing a lot over the past few months.

 

[summerthyme]

I wonder if some of them are being irradiated - either because the strains are proprietary, or to extend shelf life? I dunno. Don't know that much about current edible bean varieties being grown these days.

I'll bet it has more to do with them spraying them with RoundUp to hurry dry-down for harvest. It likely dries them before full maturity...

Summerthyme

 

[Sherrynboo]

I use dried black eyed peas in my garden and they always do very well. Haven't tried any beans though.

 

[Deena in GA]

I had a great crop of black beans last year that I sprouted from dried beans. They had been hanging out in my refrigerator since 2012 though. I have more in the garden now, waiting to see if they germinate still.

 

[Redcat]

I sprouted one (out of a dozen) 19 year old bean before and it gave me beautiful green beans. But it was packaged to grow, not bagged to eat.

 

[Toosh]

Image if someone sat down and listed all the food groups and all the ways they treat, process and manipulate our food - for our own good.

 

[Knoxville's Joker]

I am recalling something about a radiation process to sterilize beans for some food safety process. The side effect was that the food was not longer able to go to seed...

 

[changed]

Holomodor

 

[Macgyver]

They may have been wet at harvest and dried too much.

 

[Publius]

I am recalling something about a radiation process to sterilize beans for some food safety process. The side effect was that the food was not longer able to go to seed...

Folks this could be the problem ^^ but I see no reason for it with many beans or similar dry goods, today they use radiation process for many foods so they keep/store longer.
Wife does bread and various foods with the church she is connected with and a few years back there was quite a load of various beans or dry goods as some call them, oddly not many needy people did not want them so we ended up with most of it and dumping them into canning jars or any old jars we could get our hands on like one gallon pickle jars, we must have 100 pounds of various beans and lots of lentils. I know that three pounds of lentils will fill a half gallon canning jar.

 

[Tristan]

Image if someone sat down and listed all the food groups and all the ways they treat, process and manipulate our food - for our own good.

You wouldn't sleep for a week.

 

[ArisenCarcass]

There are three-thousand-year-old seeds that have sprouted from tombs.

Have you tried Stratifying the seeds in the freezer prior to planting.
You have to make the seeds "think" that it it time to sprout.

I ALWAYS have far greater germination after Stratifying.

 

[Tristan]

I think I will pick up a few things tonight and try sprouting them to see what the situation is.

May make the ones in deep storage even more valuable, should anyone have deep storage... if currently available ones are sterile.

eta: Picked up a couple varieties, going to soak and see if they'll sprout... Anyone else want to try?

 

[bracketquant]

I think I will pick up a few things tonight and try sprouting them to see what the situation is.

May make the ones in deep storage even more valuable, should anyone have deep storage... if currently available ones are sterile.

Deep storage possibly would be worse. For me, most beans stored at room temperature have about a 5-7 year shelf life for germinating. Long term storage for good germination is best by freezing them.

 

[Wildwood]

There are three-thousand-year-old seeds that have sprouted from tombs.

Have you tried Stratifying the seeds in the freezer prior to planting.
You have to make the seeds "think" that it it time to sprout.

I ALWAYS have far greater germination after Stratifying.

I have not but I've never had a problem before. I think something has been done to them. I looked again tonight when we went to the grocery store and decided instead of buying a ton of different brands to try, I'd just use my money for seed beans. I found a few packages in the WalMart seed section...those fifty cent cheap packages. I ended up with 66 seeds/beans.

I'm also going to order some of the organic sproutable ones. That wording makes me think most of our current bean stock has been treated in some way to make them not sproutable. As a last resort, I'd open up a super pail of beans that have been stored for about 17 years. Before I do that though, I'll hit up the co-ops for seed beans.

I've been working on some techniques for sprouting old seeds and having been experiencing about 50% success rate without stratification. Next I'll try stratification along with everything else but I'm not hopeful. Another thing I've noticed is when I can my more recently purchased beans, I end up with jars about 3/4 full of beans after I pressure can them. I'm putting in the same measurement as I have for years.

If anyone has luck with sprouting recently purchased grocery store beans, please let us know what brand they are and where you got them. Meanwhile, I will test my lentils. I have couple varieties bought within the last years or so.

I appreciate all the feedback!

 

[Wildwood]

I think I will pick up a few things tonight and try sprouting them to see what the situation is.

May make the ones in deep storage even more valuable, should anyone have deep storage... if currently available ones are sterile.

eta: Picked up a couple varieties, going to soak and see if they'll sprout... Anyone else want to try?

Thank you...that is what I was hoping for in case it is my incompetance!!! I'd love a second opinion.

 

[ArisenCarcass]

Besides the Stratification, try spraying them with white vinegar, letting it sit for 20-ish minutes, and then washing it off prior to germinating/planting.
I always do it to tomatoes and peppers, and have had good results with other seeds.

 

[Tristan]

Thank you...that is what I was hoping for in case it is my incompetance!!! I'd love a second opinion.

No, I wouldn't assume incompetence!

Best that we test and see what's going on, because if there are issues, we can adapt (hopefully).

Who else is in?

 

[Wildwood]

Besides the Stratification, try spraying them with white vinegar, letting it sit for 20-ish minutes, and then washing it off prior to germinating/planting.
I always do it to tomatoes and peppers, and have had good results with other seeds.

I'll try it...thanks!

 

[Tristan]

There are three-thousand-year-old seeds that have sprouted from tombs.

Have you tried Stratifying the seeds in the freezer prior to planting.
You have to make the seeds "think" that it it time to sprout.

I ALWAYS have far greater germination after Stratifying.

Would you say that corn, lentils, black beans and black eyed peas all fall in that category, that stratification aids germination?

 

[bracketquant]

A few tips...

White colored beans generally have a much poorer germination rate than colored beans, especially in cooler temperatures. White beans and old beans are usually germinated indoors, here. I like temps in the mid to upper 70s.

And, with very old seed, I nick the seed coat, gently taking off a very small portion of the seed coat, without damaging the underlying seed, in order for the seed to absorb water. With old seed, sometimes the seed coat is a barrier preventing water absorption. If trying this, first be careful with a sharp knife, and do not attempt to nick the seed anywhere near the scar part on the seed. I usually nick the end or the back of the seed. This technique has dramatically increased my germination rates on old seed, more than anything else that I've tried.

If I soak beans, it's only for a couple of hours, with a very small pinch of Miracle Grow being dissolved in the soaking water.

This year's garden is going to be an attempt to grow out much of my collection, that is getting older each passing year. It will likely be about 100 - 200 varieties. With success, maybe I'll be able to offer seeds to the forum, in the fall.

 

[bracketquant]

There's no need to stratify seeds that do not need stratifying. Some do, most do not.

Fruit tree seeds like apple and pear, need 40 days of temps between 33 and 39 degrees.

 

[Countrymouse]

Seed Savers

 

[Wildwood]

A few tips...

White colored beans generally have a much poorer germination rate than colored beans, especially in cooler temperatures. White beans and old beans are usually germinated indoors, here. I like temps in the mid to upper 70s.

And, with very old seed, I nick the seed coat, gently taking off a very small portion of the seed coat, without damaging the underlying seed, in order for the seed to absorb water. With old seed, sometimes the seed coat is a barrier preventing water absorption. If trying this, first be careful with a sharp knife, and do not attempt to nick the seed anywhere near the scar part on the seed. I usually nick the end or the back of the seed. This technique has dramatically increased my germination rates on old seed, more than anything else that I've tried.

If I soak beans, it's only for a couple of hours, with a very small pinch of Miracle Grow being dissolved in the soaking water.

This year's garden is going to be an attempt to grow out much of my collection, that is getting older each passing year. It will likely be about 100 - 200 varieties. With success, maybe I'll be able to offer seeds to the forum, in the fall.

The seeds I tried to sprout were only about a month old and thanks so much for the tips!.

Other than what is in my long term storage which I never touch, dried beans haven't stayed around long the last few years since I've been so strict about keeping things topped off.. Other than dried beans, I can lots of purple hull peas, greasy grit beans and any other kind of pea or bean I grow.

I did an extensive experiment a few years back trying to find the perfect dried pinto bean that would hold it's shape and texture during pressure canning like my mother's did. I get a little obsessive with experimenting lol. Needless to say, none of the beans were as good but some weren't bad. I was very strict with measurements of beans, salt, water, etc.

That is why I know beans have changed once again. Instead of a level cup of beans per quart jar being a smidge too much, I'm rounding the beans over and still not getting the jar more than 3/4 full of beans, no matter what brand I use and they are even a little softer than what I was getting two or three years ago when I did the experiment. I actually like the jar not as full but there is still the question...what are they doing to the beans that cause this regardless of which brand I have available locally?

I decided I wanted to grow my own pinto beans from now on and so I tried to sprout what I had left over from the last few weeks canning spree but with the changes I'd noticed, I wasn't optimistic. One more little thing, I look all my beans and I haven't found any debris in any of my beans lately other than broken bean pieces, none of those tiny clumps of dirt.

What I've tried to sprout so far...could not find exp. dates on any of the bags...pretty sure that is new but I will empty the bags tomorrow to be sure I didn't overlook it:

Brown's Pinto Beans
Hurst's HamBeen's Great Northern Beans
Hurt's Hambeen's Pinto Beans

Brown's and Hurst's have always been my favorite brands in this area but I've used them all and whatever is on sale.

To make it a fair test this time around, I'll also use some of the seed beans I bought tonight.

 

[bracketquant]

The seeds I tried to sprout were only about a month old and thanks so much for the tips!.

Other than what is in my long term storage which I never touch, dried beans haven't stayed around long the last few years since I've been so strict about keeping things topped off.. Other than dried beans, I can lots of purple hull peas, greasy grit beans and any other kind of pea or bean I grow.

I did an extensive experiment a few years back trying to find the perfect dried pinto bean that would hold it's shape and texture during pressure canning like my mother's did. I get a little obsessive with experimenting lol. Needless to say, none of the beans were as good but some weren't bad. I was very strict with measurements of beans, salt, water, etc.

That is why I know beans have changed once again. Instead of a level cup of beans per quart jar being a smidge too much, I'm rounding the beans over and still not getting the jar more than 3/4 full of beans, no matter what brand I use and they are even a little softer than what I was getting two or three years ago when I did the experiment. I actually like the jar not as full but there is still the question...what are they doing to the beans that cause this regardless of which brand I have available locally?

I decided I wanted to grow my own pinto beans from now on and so I tried to sprout what I had left over from the last few weeks canning spree but with the changes I'd noticed, I wasn't optimistic. One more little thing, I look all my beans and I haven't found any debris in any of my beans lately other than broken bean pieces, none of those tiny clumps of dirt.

What I've tried to sprout so far...could not find exp. dates on any of the bags...pretty sure that is new but I will empty the bags tomorrow to be sure I didn't overlook it:

Brown's Pinto Beans
Hurst's HamBeen's Great Northern Beans
Hurt's Hambeen's Pinto Beans

Brown's and Hurst's have always been my favorite brands in this area but I've used them all and whatever is on sale.

To make it a fair test this time around, I'll also use some of the seed beans I bought tonight.

Perhaps what is being sold is a different variety of pinto, than those in the past? If so, perhaps the new one doesn't swell up as much as the previous one when liquid is added? Maybe growers/shippers are using a different storage method?

I know that, locally, a new plastic is being used for those one pound bags. It more readily breaks open, leaving the shelves a mess. The first time I saw and touched that plastic, I knew there was going to be a problem. They may have switched the plastic formula again, to stop the spilling.

None of this is a concern with me, other than being curious as to whether beans from the bags on the store shelves will germinate. Every bag that I've seen has a "best used by" date on it. It's tiny black printing, over the clear portion of the bag, which can be hard to spot.

Along with about three pinto varieties in my collection, I have 3 or 4 different brand labeled bags. One I got for free. Looking at the date, it is about 4 years old. In about a month, I'll attempt to germinate, and plant them all.

Do you have "Roman" beans, locally? "Pink" beans? "Mayacoba" beans? And, have you ever tried any as a substitute for pintos? A new one showed up, here, last year..."Dominican Red" (Goya). It's dark maroon with tan streaks, a bit smaller than a pinto. I'll attempt to plant some this year. Then there is the "Caribbean Small Red" bean at WalMart. These later two beans appear to be marketed toward the new undocumented people in my area. At $3.42/lb, I don't know if there will be any buyers, as the regular "Small Red" beans (they look identical) cost just over $1.00/lb. It's all just more garden experiments, for me.

 

[summerthyme]

I haven't grown dried beans is several years... it was just too easy and cheap to buy decent ones. And I'm sure I have enough in storage to last the rest of our lives, unless TS really HTF, and we end up feeding the whole extended family.

But my favorites when I grew them were Jacob's Cattle beans, and Hutterite Soup beans. The latter are a largish white bean that cooks down to make a creamy soup, while still retaining enough shape and texture. The Jacob's Cattle are beautiful speckled beans of a dark maroon on white, and always matured in our often "too short" growing season, plus had great flavor.

I'm thinking I need to get fresh seed for then, and maybe the "Yin and Yang" black and white variety that did well for us, and grow some out for fresh seed.

I mentioned this thread to hubby, who has farmed all his life, and the first thing he said was "Roundup". They usually spray soon after the earliest pods ripen, but than means 80% of the pods are at least slightly immature. They dry down adequately to harvest and store, but they *aren't* ripe seeds. He's also concerned they won't have the nutrition you'd expect. Damn! They can screw up anything in the name of profit and convenience!

Summerthyme

 

[20Gauge]

I've noticed a change in the dried beans for the last year or two or maybe longer. I can a lot of them and they no longer have the same consistency etc., before and after canning. It's like they've been presoaked and redried or something. Because I wasn't happy with the look, etc. of the dried beans, I considered growing and drying my own and since I doubted their viability as far as sprouting, I tried what I had on hand which was two brands of pintos and one of great northern beans. Of course none have sprouted.

I decided I'd look for some organic ones and might have better luck with them so I went to WM.com first, just to see what was available, along those lines, at the store in my town. That's when I started seeing something I've never seen before. Many of the organic varieties were described as sproutable. Maybe I'm behind and everyone else has known all along that our beans are now being pretreated in some ways that makes them unable to sprout. I'd suspect irradiation but the one's I've used have looked almost slightly precooked the way the hull is wrinkled or loose in places.

I guess I'll check at the hardware and feed stores to see if they have any bulk seed but I'm not optimistic...pretty sure I'll be ordering them or buying the small packets...just to get enough to grow a seed crop this year and to try cooking them fresh to see how I like them. I'll start with pintos and if that works out, I'll try great northern beans next.

I'm not happy that one of our favorite staples is no longer what it use to be and who knows what's being done to them. I have noticed that pinto beans cook in half the time they use to and they are missing something in the flavor department. They need to take them off the lists of items they claim you can grow with what you have in your pantry. Next they will figure out some way to keep the seeds in the fresh produce we get at the grocery from being live.

You need one of those large pyramids to keep them fresh.... worked for the egyptians

 

[Countrymouse]

Home - SeedSavers

Since 1975, Seed Savers Exchange has worked to keep heirloom seeds where they belong, in our gardens and on our tables.

seedsavers.org

Can buy organic seeds--some in pretty large quantities.

I've never had a problem with their viability.

 

[zeker]

There are three-thousand-year-old seeds that have sprouted from tombs.

Have you tried Stratifying the seeds in the freezer prior to planting.
You have to make the seeds "think" that it it time to sprout.

I ALWAYS have far greater germination after Stratifying.

I have always saved seeds, usually for several yrs.

the only ones I had no luck, at all, was parsnips.

my dad always told me seeds were only good for 1 yr, and he tossed any he thot was too old.

this yr my tomato seeds aint sprouting

I,ve planted 3 times now.. seeds of different yrs and origins.

but my pepper seeds are doing great.

I started planting in cups early (feb), and they are well past 'in the ground' size.

we still got a wee bit of snow, so they will be very big, come june 1

I always planted may 24. and always had to babysit from sneaky frosts.

1 tip..

when starting seeds inside, use a clear cup, or plastic pop btl.

for many yrs I had always used red solo cups, but the clear, you can see the roots.

 

[TKO]

I’ve had trouble with dried beans from grocery since before covid supply chain issues.

Even using the pressure cooker method and even letting them soak afterwards for 24 hours, they turn out hard. So hard they don’t work well for even refried beans.

The taste is off as well.

I added dried beans to the garden, all open pollinated from a source I’ve used for years and they work like always. Same flavor and soften up like they should.

Almost time to plant here and I’m dying for decent produce again.

All I have to harvest now is spinach, green onions and a small patch of collards. They wintered over in a protect bed I have.

I found even the taste of most pintos are not good. However, I did find a very good brand that seems to perform like I remember a bean tasted like...along with good texture. La Preferida. For years I kept trying different beans and the texture was off, as well as taste. My mom commented on the same thing. I read about these on a southern forum and tried them. It's the only brand of dry bean I buy...at least for pintos.

 

[Wildwood]

I have always saved seeds, usually for several yrs.

the only ones I had no luck, at all, was parsnips.

my dad always told me seeds were only good for 1 yr, and he tossed any he thot was too old.

this yr my tomato seeds aint sprouting

I,ve planted 3 times now.. seeds of different yrs and origins.

but my pepper seeds are doing great.

I started planting in cups early (feb), and they are well past 'in the ground' size.

we still got a wee bit of snow, so they will be very big, come june 1

I always planted may 24. and always had to babysit from sneaky frosts.

1 tip..

when starting seeds inside, use a clear cup, or plastic pop btl.

for many yrs I had always used red solo cups, but the clear, you can see the roots.

I plant my seeds in cups too and I'm also preferring the clear now. I have a few reasons, one being more sizes available. Another, I add dirt up to about two inches from the top for my tomatoes. As they grow and get big enough, I top the dirt off to the top and leave them long enough for the covered stem to grow roots too. Because I start them two inches from the top, I feel they get more light in the clear cups...hope that made sense. I grow my tomatoes to about ten or twelve inches in the cup before they go in the ground because I bury about half of the stem so I need them tall.

I'm having slow germination with almost all my starts or maybe I'm just impatient in my older years lol. My new marigold seeds have been in dirt for two weeks today and not one sprout out of 48. I'm trying a different brand of seed if nothing is up by Wednesday. About 2/3 of my garden is direct sewn.

 

[Wildwood]

I found even the taste of most pintos are not good. However, I did find a very good brand that seems to perform like I remember a bean tasted like...along with good texture. La Preferida. For years I kept trying different beans and the texture was off, as well as taste. My mom commented on the same thing. I read about these on a southern forum and tried them. It's the only brand of dry bean I buy...at least for pintos.

I'm pretty sure I've seen those around here...I'll definitely give them a try. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[ArisenCarcass]

Would you say that corn, lentils, black beans and black eyed peas all fall in that category, that stratification aids germination?

For the last several years, I stratify everything. I MAKE room.
My personal experience is that I have better germination and yields when I do stratify.
Is there a reason that the circannual cycle of plants wouldn't be instrumental in their growth?

I've been on the same farm for the better part of 30 years, and all I have is anecdotal evidence, but yes, corn and beans of several varieties do better with stratifying.
It is as if the internal clock of the seed is primed to germinate and produce.
We are all organic and heirloom, with no factory fertilizers, and yet I have earlier and better sprouts than my neighbors and often have better harvests.

JMHO

 

[Knoxville's Joker]

For the last several years, I stratify everything. I MAKE room.
My personal experience is that I have better germination and yields when I do stratify.
Is there a reason that the circannual cycle of plants wouldn't be instrumental in their growth?

I've been on the same farm for the better part of 30 years, and all I have is anecdotal evidence, but yes, corn and beans of several varieties do better with stratifying.
It is as if the internal clock of the seed is primed to germinate and produce.
We are all organic and heirloom, with no factory fertilizers, and yet I have earlier and better sprouts than my neighbors and often have better harvests.

JMHO

Opinion?

Sounds more like a set of observations based on experience. Your contributions are appreciated...