Red Kidney Beans & Toxicity..gah..I never knew this

[Bang!Zoom!]

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/cooking-dried-beans-in-crockpot.html

 

I'm reading along here, putting together recipes for later..and I find this reference to boiling the dried beans for ten minutes to kill off toxins.

 

I have never done this. Ever. Ever. :svengo:

 

My whole cooking life I've never done this. I've always just soaked, rinsed and then crockpot. GEESH!

 

Is everyone out there walking around knowing about killer red beans and I missed the memo?

 

Red Kidney Bean Poisoning is an illness caused by a toxic agent, Phytohaemagglutnin (Kidney Bean Lectin). This toxic agent is found in many species of beans, but it is in highest concentration in red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). The unit of toxin measure is the hemagglutinating unit (hau). Raw kidney beans contain from 20,000 to 70,000 hau, while fully cooked beans contain from 200 to 400 hau. White kidney beans, another variety of Phaseolus vulgaris, contain about one-third the amount of toxin as the red variety; broad beans (Vicia faba) contain 5 to 10% the amount that red kidney beans contain.

 

As few as 4 or 5 beans can bring on symptoms. Onset of symptoms varies from between 1 to 3 hours. Onset is usually marked by extreme nausea, followed by vomiting, which may be very severe. Diarrhea develops somewhat later (from one to a few hours), and some persons report abdominal pain. Some persons have been hospitalized, but recovery is usually rapid (3 - 4 h after onset of symptoms) and spontaneous.

 

The syndrome is usually caused by the ingestion of raw, soaked kidney beans, either alone or in salads or casseroles. As few as four or five raw beans can trigger symptoms. Several outbreaks have been associated with "slow cookers" or crock pots, or in casseroles which had not reached a high enough internal temperature to destroy the glycoprotein lectin. It has been shown that heating to 80 degrees C. may potentiate the toxicity five-fold, so that these beans are more toxic than if eaten raw. In studies of casseroles cooked in slow cookers, internal temperatures often did not exceed 75 degrees C..

 

All persons, regardless of age or gender, appear to be equally susceptible; the severity is related only to the dose ingested.

 

No major outbreaks have occurred in the U.S. Outbreaks in the U.K. are far more common, and may be attributed to greater use of dried kidney beans in the U.K., or better physician awareness and reporting.

 

NOTE: The following procedure has been recommended by the PHLS (Public Health Laboratory Services, Colindale, U.K.) to render kidney, and other, beans safe for consumption:

* Soak in water for at least 5 hours.

* Pour away the water.

* Boil briskly in fresh water for at least 10 minutes.

* Undercooked beans may be more toxic than raw beans.

[zaichiki]

I've always just soaked, rinsed and then crockpot.

 

I think your crockpot killed whatever toxins were there.

 

ETA: Studies shmuddies. I've crockpotted beans for years without the boiling or soaking pre-req. No illnesses due to beans over here.

Edited August 20, 2011 by zaichiki

[Garga]

Ok. Enough is enough. After reading about all the horrible stuff in pretty much every food out there, combined with the high cost of groceries, I've come to a decision: I'm just not going to eat anything ever again. :tongue_smilie:

 

And while I'm at it, I'm going to stop aging as well.

[LibraryLover]

Ok. Enough is enough. After reading about all the horrible stuff in pretty much every food out there, combined with the high cost of groceries, I've come to a decision: I'm just not going to eat anything ever again. :tongue_smilie:

 

And while I'm at it, I'm going to stop aging as well.

 

 

No hail.

 

LOL even the article states no cases have been reported in the us! And beans are not common here. lol Huh?! lol

Edited August 22, 2011 by LibraryLover

[SonshineLearner]

I've heard more than one time about people dying when they put their beans in the crockpot improperly; you're also not suppose to put meat in the crockpot that is frozen. It stays at a "too low" temperature for too long. Kinda like defrosting it on the counter. :)

[Bug's Mom]

I think that the lead in the crockpot takes care of it...:tongue_smilie:

[Remudamom]

The pre-soaking or pre-cooking tends to reduce the farting problem. That can be toxic.

[joannqn]

I knew there was a reason I prefer to do the quick soak method. I bring it to a boil, forget about it for a bit (oops), and turn it off for an hour. Then I rinse and cook on the stove.

 

Nah, not really. I just tend to prefer the control of cooking on the stove, and didn't use my crockpot often when I had one.

[torikei]

Dick Francis wrote a novel where undercooked kidney beans played a role in the mystery. Of course, after reading it I'm super paranoid about boiling beans. :D

 

Tori

[Mabelen]

I was aware but I used to live in the UK where it seems to be common knowledge, or at least it used to be... not sure about the younger generations!

[kalanamak]

Ok. Enough is enough. After reading about all the horrible stuff in pretty much every food out there, combined with the high cost of groceries, I've come to a decision: I'm just not going to eat anything ever again. :tongue_smilie:

 

And while I'm at it, I'm going to stop aging as well.

 

:iagree:

[Julie in CA]

The pre-soaking or pre-cooking tends to reduce the farting problem. That can be toxic.

:smilielol5:

[Britomart]

Dick Francis wrote a novel where undercooked kidney beans played a role in the mystery. Of course, after reading it I'm super paranoid about boiling beans. :D

 

 

I was just going to post that! "Dead Heat" - it's why I know about un/undercooked kidney beans. Love Dick Francis. Good thrillers, but also I always learn something interesting - horse-racing, diamond mining, kidnapping negotiations . . . and kidney beans. :)

[coffeefreak]

Ok. Enough is enough. After reading about all the horrible stuff in pretty much every food out there, combined with the high cost of groceries, I've come to a decision: I'm just not going to eat anything ever again. :tongue_smilie:

 

And while I'm at it, I'm going to stop aging as well.

 

:lol:

 

Pinto beans are the only beans I cook in the crock pot. What does it say about those?:bigear:

[sassenach]

The worst food poisoning of my life was from pinto beans. I wonder if it was the same issue?

[Bang!Zoom!]

I'm going to have nightmares now. I went and read Wikipedia.

 

It's your own fault if you go read it. I'm out of it. I'm just the temptress of knowledge here I guess.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaseolus_vulgaris

 

Phaseolus vulgaris indeed.

 

Slow cookers may not be able to degrade the toxin.

 

I'm going back to canned beans. I worry too much.

 

No more dry grains in the crockpot. Stove top, cool; just not the crockpot.

 

"Wait! Wait! Don't eat that!" I can just see me freakin' out at dinner.

[lailasmum]

I was aware but I used to live in the UK where it seems to be common knowledge, or at least it used to be... not sure about the younger generations!

 

I am in the UK and agree its common knowledge over here.

[tiredmommyof8]

Interesting. Never knew that. Not a huge fan of kidney beans unless they are in chili.

[Kim in Appalachia]

The pre-soaking or pre-cooking tends to reduce the farting problem. That can be toxic.

 

:rofl:

[Linda1951]

My mother always preboiled all beans, then poured off that water and readded water and cooked them. never knew that was the reason why.

[In The Great White North]

I never heard this either, but

 

Doesn't your crock pot boil?

[Jen in PA]

 

Doesn't your crock pot boil?

 

I was wondering the same thing. I use kidney beans rarely enough that I just buy them canned, but I make black beans and pintos in the crock pot all the time. I usually have them bubbling nicely near the end of cooking them.

[mrs.m]

I never heard this either, but

 

Doesn't your crock pot boil?

 

Mine boils on high but I think the problem is how long it takes to get to that point and I think maybe the toxins build up during that heating period?

 

Why not just hard boil on the stove? 10 minutes of boiling kills the toxin.

 

Problem solved.

 

Except this really messes with a bean soup I make in the CP. :glare:

[mrs.m]

Actually, I just reread the article. I KNOW my CP heats higher than 75 deg. C. That's only 167 degrees F. That isn't boiling temps. I'm certain that the old CPs that our parents had didn't get very hot but as the years have gone by they've changed that. My new one cooks meals on low faster than my old CP on high. If I put something in on high for suggested cooking times, it's WAY over done. I have to cut the low temp times in half!

[Parrothead]

I suppose this the the new thing to learn today. I normally don't do beans in the crock pot. It takes too blasted long. I'll just continue on with my stove top cooking of beans.

[Audrey]

The pre-soaking or pre-cooking tends to reduce the farting problem. That can be toxic.

 

 

This is about the only toxic thing about COOKED beans. You'll notice the article says RAW beans. If you cooked them, they are fine, whether you soaked them first or not.

 

This info comes out every once in a while and people panic. They are talking about eating RAW beans, either from the fresh pod or dried and not cooked.

[Laurie4b]

I never heard of it, either. Fortunately, we've been saved by my tendency to put something on the stove and go do something else.... so I doubt if I've ever started to heat beans up without a pretty long period of boiling before I remembered to go turn the heat down. I guess it comes in handy sometimes though more often than not, I end up burning something!

[Denisemomof4]

The pre-soaking or pre-cooking tends to reduce the farting problem. That can be toxic.

 

:smilielol5: and let me tell you that this is QUITE true. With ANY legume. We had lentils last week. YUMMY. I couldn't sleep well that night. The window fan was blowing dh's toxic fumes right into my face. :ack2: I kept covering him with a down blanket.:lol: he kept removing.

 

Toxic air that night almost made me throw up.;)

[raceNzanesmom]

I soak and rinse beans because it makes them healthier. I almost always cook in the CP and we've never gotten sick. I do cook until done.

[bbkaren]

My mother always preboiled all beans, then poured off that water and readded water and cooked them. never knew that was the reason why.

 

Cooking, rinsing, and cooking in fresh water is also supposed to eliminate the...err...gas problem. Never really did any experimentation on it though.

[Momtoamayalilal2]

I am wondering if the bean flours that people use in place of regular wheat would be toxic as well (Garbanzo, navy, etc) or is it just kidney beans?

 

Hmm I make pintos in the crockpot all the time, but they do boil.....

[Momtoamayalilal2]

Ok just read that its kidney beans :)

[chickenpatty]

LOL!

[zaichiki]

I soak and rinse beans because it makes them healthier.

 

How does that make them healthier? It doesn't change the nutritional value of the bean. :confused:

[Mom-ninja.]

I didn't know that about beans, but I always do the quick soak method. Good to know.

[Mom-ninja.]

Ok. Enough is enough. After reading about all the horrible stuff in pretty much every food out there, combined with the high cost of groceries, I've come to a decision: I'm just not going to eat anything ever again. :tongue_smilie:

 

I seriously have felt like this all week ever since being diagnosed celiac. I think I'll just start grazing grass in my backyard.

[Stacia]

I think that the lead in the crockpot takes care of it...:tongue_smilie:

 

:lol:

[Laurie4b]

This is about the only toxic thing about COOKED beans. You'll notice the article says RAW beans. If you cooked them, they are fine, whether you soaked them first or not.

 

This info comes out every once in a while and people panic. They are talking about eating RAW beans, either from the fresh pod or dried and not cooked.

 

The article the OP linked mentions raw beans but says that undercooked beans have a level of toxicity many times higher than raw beans.

[Peela]

I knew never to eat spouted kidney beans because of toxins- wheras sprouted chickpeas, lentils etc are ok.

I cook beans, when I rarely do cook beans, in a pressure cooker. Usually they are overcooked so its not a problem.