METHOD OF PRODUCING BEAN OR POD PRODUCT

摘要

It is intended to provide a method of producing a bean product containing ?-aminobutyric acid in an increased amount and having a favorable flavor or a pod product containing ?-aminobutyric acid in an increased amount and having an excellent texture. A starting bean or its pod, which contains 20% by mass or more of water and has not been enzymatically inactivated, is frozen and then thawed at a temperature of from 5 to 70^oC to thereby produce a bean or pod product. As the starting bean, use can be made of either an immature or matured and podded or unpodded bean. As the pod, it is preferable to employ an immature bean pod. It is also preferable to conduct a germination treatment before freezing. By drying the bean or pod product as described above, furthermore, a dry bean or pod product having an increased ?-aminobutyric acid content and being excellent in keeping properties can be obtained.