Variations in eating quality, flavor and pod color of green soybeans from vegetable-type and grain-type plants stored at various temperatures

Eating quality, flavor and pod color of immature soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) seeds (edamame) were examined using 7 vegetable-type and 2 grain-type soybean cultivars. The edamame was sampled at the optimum harvesting period for eating. One group was boiled for 3 min and then stored at 5, 15 and 25degreesC for 24 h (the boiled storage group). Another group was stored raw under the same conditions and then boiled for 3 min (raw storage group). Eating quality, flavor and pod color of the two groups of edamame were evaluated by 10 to 15 panelists. The eating quality was positively and significantly correlated with flavor of edamame in the raw storage group (r=0.726 (p<0.05), 0.824 (p<0.01), and 0.843 (p<0.01) at 5, 15 and 25degreesC, respectively), and in the boiled storage group, r=0.939, 0.951, and 0.934 (p<0.01) stored at 5, 15 and 25degreesC, respectively. However, pod color was not correlated with eating quality or flavor, except for the edamame stored after boiling at 25degreesC. The eating quality and flavor scores of edamame in the raw storage group was evaluated higher than those in the boiled storage group (eating quality : t = 3.786, Flavor : t = 3.687, p<0.001, df = 51). The eating quality and flavor scores differed among vegetable-type soybeans. However, these two sensory factors were evaluated more highly in the vegetable-type soybean than in the grain-type soybeans in both storage groups (eating quality : t = 2,822, p<0.001, Flavor : t = 2.023, p<0.005, df = 34). The sensory values differed between the same vegetable-type soybeans cultivated in different areas, even in a small district (Shonai).