Microstructures of starch granule, starch digestibilities and predicted glycaemic index of common bean mutants in Taiwan

Summary In this study, the microstructure of starch granule and in vitro starch digestibility were compared in de‐coated seeds of common bean variety Hwachia and its NaN3‐induced mutants. Significant differences in starch granule size (between 17.92 and 27.00 μm), total starch content (between 436.5 and 456.8 mg per seed) and resistant starch content (between 51.6 and 203.3 mg per seed) were found among mutants. Both boiling and autoclaving decreased resistant starch content in processed common beans. Significant difference in predicted gylcaemic index (pGI) (between 48.82 and 64.55%) for processed beans also existed among mutants. However, 96 h of 4 °C storage increased resistant starch content in processed common beans, possibly resulted from starch retrogradation during storage. Mutants SA‐05, SA‐08 and SA‐31, which have smaller seed weight and lower pGI (average of 50.08%) compared to Hwachia (pGI of 57.05%), can be used to produce common bean based low GI dietary carbohydrate.