o Gyeonggi beans tops 35% in Isoflavones compared to beans grown in northern area

o Plans to increase bean cultivation from 100ha to 300ha till 2005

Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services made a comparison research of the quality of beans produced in the Gyeonggi area during ‘01~’02 to promote Gyeonggi beans into the district’s special product.

The research results show that 100 Gyeonggi beans are 15% heavier than beans produced in the southern part of Korea and the rich golden color of the beans is preferred by consumers and also, 100g of Gyeonggi beans are high in protein of 7% (41.4g) compared to the south with 38.6g.

Therefore there is a difference in the weight of two bean-curds each made with the same weight of beans from the south and Gyeonggi. Of course, the bean-curd made with Gyeonggi beans takes lead of 7%. Consumers preferred the Gyeonggi bean-curds because of its rich taste.

Especially the Isoflavones element, known to prevent cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease and other sicknesses, is 35% more high in Gyeonggi beans (2,048mg/kg) compared to southern beans (1,519mg/kg).

Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services concluded that the reason why Gyeonggi beans are superior in quality is because of the temperature when the beans are grown is low and the night and day diurnal range is large.
With this climatic specificity, beans are sowed early and the growing period is longer, making it more nutritious and larger and rich in color.

Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services is performing a research on improving the quality and cultivation technology while distributing high-quality functional bean varieties. High-quality bean cultivation district centered in Ibuk, Hansu will be prepared to produce 100ha in 2003 and this plan will expand to 300ha till 2005.

Byung-yeol Choi, agricultural researcher (229-5784) of crops course in Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services said that beans have been regarded as a health food lately all over the world that consumption has been kept increasing so Gyeonggi bean, which is differentiated in the quality and feature, will be added in the list of the best local bean.

Disaster or other varmints affecting the quality of beans will be prevented in advance, worthy beans will be selected, and he will continue to search the way to maintain beans in low, dry temperature even during the process of storage and distribution and also prevent the quality degradation, he added.