Baking performance of 25 edible dry bean powders: Correlation between cookie quality and rapid test indices

This study was designed to evaluate the baking performances of 25 edible dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) varieties and to investigate correlations among cookie features and rapid test indices (i.e., water and lactic acid retention capacities, oil binding capacity and Rapid Visco Analyzer indices). Two bean powder particle sizes (<= 0.5 mm, <= 1.0 mm) were investigated. Cookies were evaluated in terms of nutritional, geometrical and textural properties. Bean powders doubled the amount of cookie protein and increased cookie resistant starch content. Baking potential varied according to bean genotype and powder particle size: coarse powders resulted in larger (+ 26%) and thinner (- 19%) cookies characterized by easier breaking texture (fracture strengths of 41-157 vs. 48-226 kPa for fine powders). Water retention and oil binding capacities and pasting properties significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with cookie features. In conclusion, these accumulated findings can be used in designing value-added traditional and gluten-free cookies.