An interesting experiment conducted today with canned Green Bean Fluid

[beefsteak]

The wife told me just this week, that she'd been reading on some grampas preps website (?--think that was the name of it) about NOT overlooking the fluid in commercially canned vegetables as a source of water during tough times.

So, I decided to conduct an experiment today.

I grabbed a can of green beans, and the hand can opener, and my Brita pitcher with a still good brita cartridge in it. I also grabbed a funnel and 3 ply of coffee filters.

I cut the can open almost clear around the top, leaving just enough for a flap to hold against the contents in order to help me drain out the "liquor" as my old momma used to call it.

Then I put the 3 ply into the funnel and rested it inside the Brita pitcher so the fluid would ultimately percolate through the cartridge.

Upending the can of partially opened beans, I began to drain the liquid out and into the funnel/brita arrangement.

I saved back just a small amount of fluid in a clear container, and went and did something else while it all drained through that was going to drain through.

I sample tasted the original green bean fluid, and yup, it tasted like green beans allright. Not pleasant, not unpleasant. I just wouldn't want a glass of it. Besides it was rather ugly greenish tinted.

Then I sampled the post brita cartridge filtrate. It was clear, yes. But really salty. And no I could not taste any green bean taste.

My other observation was this: in a 14.5 oz (label read 411 grams/14.5oz) can of generic green beans, there was 1 cup (250 ml) of this liquid which weighed in at 250 grams. That meant the still unheated green beans came in 161 grams. (Looks to me like the labels need to be adjusted to read: pale green water, as the first position/ingredient, and 2 soggy portions of green beans solids.)

Okay, so here are my questions, given the above and that my wife pays $1.39 a can for generic green beans back in the prepping days--

1) Am I the only one here that was unaware I was buying a cup of added water/fluid for the ungodly price of 61% of $1.39 for that can or $0.85 for that cup of water??? With straight H2O weighing 3785 grams, that means a gallon of green bean water is a "non-bargain" at 15 cups x $0.85 or $12.75 GALLON for water.

2) Am I the only one here who's now deceased Mother told him never to drink Green Bean Juice but I can no longer remember why? Any help on this one?

3) Am I the only one who sees where our "grocery budget" inflation is primarily coming from?

4) Do any of you think that if I would repeat my experiment on canned corn, or canned peaches, or canned tomatoes, the taste test would be any different?

5) Any ideas how to perform small distillations without heating up the house to uncomfortable humidity levels and waste of fuel of said juice/liquors to rid same of salt and sugar? The charcoal sure doesn't remove it!

6) What is there in green beans that requires so much salt? Is that true of all canning recipes...lots of salt?

Sure wish Ima Canning was reading this and would chime in...but alas, I guess the rest of you have to pitch in and help me. Besides initially concluding grandpa of preps website is a little whacky after this advice, I'd sure like to hear others weigh in on my questions. Please.

This wierd experiment bothers me with its implications for waste throughout our American diet and food budgeting. No wonder our elders are reported to be eating canned dog food.

beefsteak

[cthulu]

How dare you criticize a private company for making a profit! What are you? A communist? Grrrrrrrrr!


/sarc

[crazychicken]

Great post.

CC




The wife told me just this week, that she'd been reading on some grampas preps website (?--think that was the name of it) about NOT overlooking the fluid in commercially canned vegetables as a source of water during tough times.

So, I decided to conduct an experiment today.

I grabbed a can of green beans, and the hand can opener, and my Brita pitcher with a still good brita cartridge in it. I also grabbed a funnel and 3 ply of coffee filters.

I cut the can open almost clear around the top, leaving just enough for a flap to hold against the contents in order to help me drain out the "liquor" as my old momma used to call it.

Then I put the 3 ply into the funnel and rested it inside the Brita pitcher so the fluid would ultimately percolate through the cartridge.

Upending the can of partially opened beans, I began to drain the liquid out and into the funnel/brita arrangement.

I saved back just a small amount of fluid in a clear container, and went and did something else while it all drained through that was going to drain through.

I sample tasted the original green bean fluid, and yup, it tasted like green beans allright. Not pleasant, not unpleasant. I just wouldn't want a glass of it. Besides it was rather ugly greenish tinted.

Then I sampled the post brita cartridge filtrate. It was clear, yes. But really salty. And no I could not taste any green bean taste.

My other observation was this: in a 14.5 oz (label read 411 grams/14.5oz) can of generic green beans, there was 1 cup (250 ml) of this liquid which weighed in at 250 grams. That meant the still unheated green beans came in 161 grams. (Looks to me like the labels need to be adjusted to read: pale green water, as the first position/ingredient, and 2 soggy portions of green beans solids.)

Okay, so here are my questions, given the above and that my wife pays $1.39 a can for generic green beans back in the prepping days--

1) Am I the only one here that was unaware I was buying a cup of added water/fluid for the ungodly price of 61% of $1.39 for that can or $0.85 for that cup of water??? With straight H2O weighing 3785 grams, that means a gallon of green bean water is a "non-bargain" at 15 cups x $0.85 or $12.75 GALLON for water.

2) Am I the only one here who's now deceased Mother told him never to drink Green Bean Juice but I can no longer remember why? Any help on this one?

3) Am I the only one who sees where our "grocery budget" inflation is primarily coming from?

4) Do any of you think that if I would repeat my experiment on canned corn, or canned peaches, or canned tomatoes, the taste test would be any different?

5) Any ideas how to perform small distillations without heating up the house to uncomfortable humidity levels and waste of fuel of said juice/liquors to rid same of salt and sugar? The charcoal sure doesn't remove it!

6) What is there in green beans that requires so much salt? Is that true of all canning recipes...lots of salt?

Sure wish Ima Canning was reading this and would chime in...but alas, I guess the rest of you have to pitch in and help me. Besides initially concluding grandpa of preps website is a little whacky after this advice, I'd sure like to hear others weigh in on my questions. Please.

This wierd experiment bothers me with its implications for waste throughout our American diet and food budgeting. No wonder our elders are reported to be eating canned dog food.

beefsteak

[SLV^GLD]

1) Am I the only one here that was unaware I was buying a cup of added water/fluid for the ungodly price of 61% of $1.39 for that can or $0.85 for that cup of water??? With straight H2O weighing 3785 grams, that means a gallon of green bean water is a "non-bargain" at 15 cups x $0.85 or $12.75 GALLON for water. Probably not. I was aware of the fact that water constituted probably 95% of the total weight in a can but I've never physically measured the free water and worked out the cost analysis. It is rather eye opening.


2) Am I the only one here who's now deceased Mother told him never to drink Green Bean Juice but I can no longer remember why? Any help on this one? I've never been told this but we have always drained the liquid into a sink. The exorbitant amounts of sodium would be a good enough reason to avoid drinking it.


3) Am I the only one who sees where our "grocery budget" inflation is primarily coming from?Negative. We have been progressively spending more for less for about a decade based on my observation.


4) Do any of you think that if I would repeat my experiment on canned corn, or canned peaches, or canned tomatoes, the taste test would be any different? I would expect fruits to be much less salty if at all. I would question how much of the flavor is actually sodium chloride and not MSG. I would expect same branded vegetables to have consistent liquid but I would expect different brands to result in liquids of varying constitution. Some beans are floating in clear water while others are in a bean slurry. Some are organic and made with more care for the consumer.


5) Any ideas how to perform small distillations without heating up the house to uncomfortable humidity levels and waste of fuel of said juice/liquors to rid same of salt and sugar? The charcoal sure doesn't remove it!None off the top of my head and reuse as toilet tank water or plant hydration seems out. Maybe slug traps?


6) What is there in green beans that requires so much salt? Is that true of all canning recipes...lots of salt?Flavor, son. Shit quality in will be shit quality out unless amended with salt. Have you done much canning at home? Salt is primarily used in pickling but not preservation of garden vegetables.

[woodman]

When I can green beans I usually add about a tsp of salt. I dunno why. Maybe cause the canning recipe originally told me to. I also love to drink the juice from canned green beans. It is very tasty. I don't know of any reason it should not be imbibed other than a whole lot of salt. I also love to drink the juice from drained cans of water packed tuna. I am certain that canning vegetables requires no salt at all. Salt does make things tasty though.

Aside, I no longer buy canned vegetables. I think of them as poison.

[lapis]

1) Am I the only one here that was unaware I was buying a cup of added water/fluid for the ungodly price of 61% of $1.39 for that can or $0.85 for that cup of water??? With straight H2O weighing 3785 grams, that means a gallon of green bean water is a "non-bargain" at 15 cups x $0.85 or $12.75 GALLON for water.


3) Am I the only one who sees where our "grocery budget" inflation is primarily coming from?

I didn't realize they were doing this with canned goods, but it doesn't surprise me. I have railed about the strange case of "package shrink" on another thread (can't remember which one) when it comes to meat.

Most meat at the grocery store has water added to it as well. Bacon, sausage, and chicken especially (the latter can come with up to 3% added water!).

[SLV^GLD]

Most meat at the grocery store has water added to it as well. Bacon, sausage, and chicken especially (the latter can come with up to 3% added water!).
An important point here is that it is salt water that is added. It does tenderize the meat for you but it also plumps up the meat for better display. It also plumps up your blood pressure.

[keehah]

This seems like the right thread for this..... ;)


Making it clear he would not be following in the footsteps of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronald Reagan, Clooney added if he were to stand for election his campaign slogan would be frank: "I drank the bong water."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/feb/24/george-clooney-politics