ABSTRACT
Phaseolus beans may be used as young pods (whole or sliced, fresh or frozen) and cultivars have been bred with reduced 'parchment' in the pod-wall and with minimal 'stringiness' of the sutures. Slender 'filet type' beans are classed as fine, very fine and extra fine. They are highly prized in Europe (especially in France), and there is a year-round trade in air-freighted fresh beans from African countries such as Kenya, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Egypt. Larger cultivars may be sliced diagonally, while yet others are shelled for use in soups and stews.
