Dep. Soil and Crop Sciences and Dep. Horticlulture, Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO.

The chemical and nutritional composition of dry beans varies among market classes. Previous reports have shown that beans differ in their ability to accumulate micronutrients and in their content of phytochemicals that have been linked to positive health benefits. Scientists have attributed the health benefits of beans, e.g. anti-cancer effects, to their high concentrations of folate and fiber, as well as to lower the glycemic index. We will characterized 13 different market classes of dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) for their health benefits based on chemical assays and compare these results with published reports. Our results confirm that market classes differ in content of total phenolics and in antioxidant activity based on laboratory assays. The market classes grouped into three categories: high, moderate and low. In general, white beans were classified low and colored beans intermediate or high. Ongoing studies will allow us to compare the same market classes for their influence on the growth of cultured human cancer cells and in-vivo activity using preclinical models.