The color in vegetables is one of the main quality attributes observed by the consumer and it is influenced by intrinsic characteristics and canning process. This research meant to investigate the effect of increasing calcium concentrations applied to a nutrient solution on physical measurements of the color of snap bean pods.This experiment was carried out wtih the cultivar UEL 1 grown in coarse sand with nutrient solution supplied at the following levels of calcium: 0, 75, 150 and 300 mL L-1. Fresh pods were analysed for calcium content. The fresh and canned pods were evaluated for color with tristimulus colorimetry and data were expressed according to the Hunter system. The fresh pods were lighter and yellowisher when calcium was added to the nutrient solution. The heat used for the canning process had a significant effect on reducing lightness and greeness, even with the greater amounts of calcium in the pods.
Phaseolus vulgaris; snap beans; color; calcium