Green Frozen Beans

Product Identity and Market Names

Product: IQF Frozen Green Beans
Scientific name: Phaseolus vulgaris L.
Plant part: immature edible pod
Standard pod type: round green bean; flat/Romano by separate contract
Ingredient: 100% green beans

Green beans, French beans, string beans and snap beans are common market terms, but the purchase specification must still declare the physical style. "Cut green beans" are pods cut crosswise into segments. "French-Cut," "French-Style" and "Sliced Lengthwise" describe thin strips cut along the pod and are stated separately on the specification, COA and carton label.

Runner beans are Phaseolus coccineus L.; yardlong or asparagus beans are Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis. Flat or Romano beans have a visibly flatter, broader pod profile. We quote these types under separate specifications so the contracted order cannot silently change species or pod form.

A product photo beside the identity section shows the transverse cut and supports diameter discussion before sample approval.

Grade A and Premium A+ at a Glance

Whole-pod appearance shows the contracted style; diameter and length are still verified from the lot sample.

Whole Green Bean Grades

We offer whole pods when intact appearance is part of the retail or foodservice specification. Extra fine whole beans are 5-6.5 mm in diameter and 60-100 mm long. Very fine are 6-8 mm × 60-120 mm; fine are 7-9 mm × 60-120 mm; medium are 8-10 mm × 70-130 mm; and large are 10-12 mm × 70-140 mm. Random whole grades use the signed diameter and length distribution rather than an undefined "special shape."

The whole-pod minimum length is 44 mm. Grade A requires ≥90% length conformity, broken whole pods ≤10% and whole pods below 44 mm ≤5%. Premium A+ requires ≥95% length conformity, broken whole pods ≤5% and pods below 44 mm ≤3%.

Diameter Grades for Cut Programs

Commercial diameter options are 5-6.5, 6-8, 7-9, 8-10, 10-12, 6-10 and 6-12 mm. Grade A requires ≥90% of inspected units inside the contracted range; Premium A+ requires ≥95%. Undersize and oversize are each controlled to ≤5% for Grade A and ≤3% for Premium unless the signed size table sets a stricter limit.

Transverse Cut, Short Cut, Diagonal and French-Cut Specifications

Caliper evidence illustrates transverse cut-length inspection before size-distribution calculation.

This lengthwise presentation is correctly identified as French-Cut; it is not used to illustrate transverse cuts.

Color, Maturity, Seeds and Fibre

We grade against a natural medium-green to dark-green color typical of the variety and blanching process. Grade A permits color-defective pieces up to 5%, yellow or yellow-green pieces up to 3%, and brown or black pieces up to 1%. Premium limits these to 2%, 1% and 0.5%. Extensive yellowing, grey-green discoloration, mould staining, chemical staining and severe blanching discoloration are rejected. Instrumental CIELAB testing is used only under a defined instrument, illuminant, observer angle, sample temperature, cooked/frozen state and reference sample.

Overmature units have enlarged seeds, thin parchment-like pod walls, seed-distorted shape or a fibrous cooked texture. Grade A limits overmature units to 2%, open or split pods to 2%, and loose seeds to 1%; Premium limits them to 1%, 1% and 0.5%. For an additional maturity index, we separate seeds from a 100 g sample: the seed-to-pod weight ratio is ≤8% for Premium Young Bean Grade, ≤12% for Grade A and ≤18% for Processing Grade.

A tough string is a fibre capable of supporting 250 g for at least five seconds. Grade A allows ≤0.5%; Premium requires none in a 500 g sample. Edible fibrous units are ≤1% / ≤0.5%, while inedible fibre is ≤0.1% for Grade A and absent in a Premium 500 g sample. We cook a representative sample, pull pod-wall and suture fibres, and record edible and inedible fibre separately.

Stem, Vegetable Material, Blemish and Mechanical Limits

Cook Test, Sloughing and Product Integrity

Our standard cook test uses 200 g frozen beans in 2 L boiling potable water. We boil for 4-6 minutes, using the shorter time for finer diameters and the longer time for larger pieces, then drain for one minute. We evaluate tenderness, fibre, seed mealiness, pod-wall integrity, sloughing, flavor, odor and color.

Sloughing means the outer pod tissue separates from the main pod wall. Grade A limits sloughing to 5%, cooked integrity must be ≥90%, mushy pieces ≤3% and mealy seeds ≤3%. Premium limits sloughing to 2%, requires ≥95% identifiable cut form, and controls mushy pieces and mealy seeds to ≤1% each. Abnormal cooked odor is absent.

The product remains ready to cook, not ready to eat. For stir-frying, boiling, steaming, roasting, baking, casseroles or cooked sauces, heat the center of the finished food to 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds.

A measured finished-product sample supports the length-distribution and small-piece checks recorded for the lot.

Blanching, Cooling and IQF Freezing

We blanch green beans at 90-98°C for 60-180 seconds. The operating point is selected inside this range for bean diameter, whole or cut form, maturity, blancher loading and cooling efficiency. Release requires a negative peroxidase result. We check peroxidase at production start, at least every two hours, after blancher adjustment, after a size change and at production end. The record contains blancher temperature, residence time, product size, line speed, result, operator and lot number.

After blanching, we cool with potable water and bring product temperature to a target of ≤15°C before IQF. Conveyor drainage, air movement and visual moisture checks reduce free water that would otherwise cause clumps, loose ice and net-weight variation. IQF tunnel air commonly operates at -30°C to -40°C; finished product exits at a core temperature of ≤-18°C.

Grade A free-flowing product is ≥98%; Premium is ≥99%. Clumps are ≤2% / ≤1%, loose surface ice ≤2% / ≤1%, severe freezer burn ≤1% / ≤0.5%, large ice masses and carton ice accumulation are absent, and added glaze is 0%.

Actual inner-bag presentation supports the seal, net-weight, liner and carton checks stated in the packing specification.

A spread sample makes colour variation, stems, blemishes, breakage and free-flowing condition visible during review.

Foreign Matter and Metal Detection

Glass, metal, stone, hard plastic, soft plastic, wood, paper, hair, soil, visible sand, rodent contamination, visible insects, larvae, mouldy material and rotten material are absent. Our internal mineral-impurity target is ≤0.05% by weight. Metal detector challenge values are ferrous 1.5 mm, non-ferrous 2.0 mm and stainless steel 2.5 mm for the contracted pack format.

We challenge the detector at start-up, every two hours, after product or equipment change, after a production stop and at production end. A failed check stops the line, isolates the affected interval, corrects the detector, repeats the challenge and re-screens isolated product before release.

Microbiological Specifications

Pesticide, Heavy-Metal and Chemical Controls

For EU programs, pesticide compliance is assessed against Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 and its current MRLs, including the general 0.01 mg/kg default where no specific MRL is established. US programs use applicable EPA tolerances; Japan uses the Positive List; Canada uses applicable PMRA MRLs. GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS reports show the active substance, actual result, unit, LOQ, applicable MRL, conclusion, method, laboratory and lot number.

For EU legume vegetables, the maximum levels shown in the specification are lead ≤0.10 mg/kg and cadmium ≤0.020 mg/kg on a wet-weight basis. Additional contract targets are total arsenic ≤0.50 mg/kg, mercury ≤0.02 mg/kg and sulphur dioxide <10 mg/kg. Chlorate and perchlorate are reported against the current destination-market limit. Heavy metals are tested by ICP-MS; chlorate and perchlorate by LC-MS/MS.

IQF Frozen Green Beans Technical Specification

Choose the Right Specification by Application

Cold Storage Before Export

We store finished cartons at -18°C to -22°C. Product core temperature before loading is ≤-18°C and the reefer set point is -18°C. The empty container must be clean, dry, odour-free, undamaged and free of pest evidence, with clear air channels and an intact door seal.

The lot file links frozen-storage location, pallet identity, temperature record and release status. Repeated thawing and refreezing are not permitted.

Reefer Loading Records

The shipment file includes product temperature, cold-storage record, empty-container inspection, reefer set-point photo, loading photos, container number, seal number and batch loading list. A temperature data logger is included in programs that specify continuous transit records.

Certificate of Analysis and Buyer Documents

Each COA uses four columns: parameter, specification, actual result and test method. The header identifies product, code, scientific name, bean type, style, diameter, length, grade, origin, harvest and production dates, lot, packing, purchase order, testing dates and container number. Actual results are measured batch values; we do not copy acceptance limits into the result column.

The result set covers identity, dimensions, color, flavor, cooked tenderness, maturity, seeds, sloughing, stems, EVM, blemishes, damage, fibres, clumps, ice, peroxidase, core temperature, metal detection, microbiology, lead, cadmium, pesticide compliance, net weight, bag seal, carton, label and lot code. The release decision is signed by QC, laboratory review and QA.

Batch Sampling, Packaging AQL and Traceability

A lot contains one bean type, style, diameter, length, grade, production date, line, shift and pack. We select at least five cartons, take 500 g from each and build a composite of at least 2.5 kg. EVM and stems use at least 1 kg; dimensional and defect checks use at least 300 g and 400 units; diameter and length checks use at least 200 pieces from each selected carton. We run one representative cook test per batch, peroxidase checks during every production batch, microbiological sampling from at least five representative units and temperature checks across at least five cartons.

Packaging inspection uses General Inspection Level II. Critical defects use AQL 0: wrong species or style, undeclared ingredient, open inner bag, missing lot code, foreign material or wrong frozen-storage statement. Major defects use AQL 1.5: wrong diameter or length, underweight, poor seal, incorrect date, unreadable lot code or carton damage affecting product. Minor print, carton and label-position deviations use AQL 4.0.

The traceability chain is farm/grower → field code → species and variety → harvest and receiving dates → raw-material lot → diameter grade → cut style → blanching batch → production line and shift → packing time → finished lot → COA → cold-store position → carton label → container and seal. A lot such as GB260615-G08-L2-A identifies green bean, production date June 15, 2026, grower 08, line 2 and shift A.

How We Control Frozen Green Bean Quality

Certificates, Export Documents and Support

Before order confirmation, we issue the applicable site-certificate list with certificate holder, audited manufacturing address, certificate number, validity date and product scope. The order file may include food-safety, religious-market or destination-registration documents only when the selected site and product are covered. We provide the signed product specification, batch COA, microbiological report, pesticide report, heavy-metal report, ingredient declaration, allergen statement, GMO-status statement, sulphite statement, shelf-life statement, blanching record, metal-detection record, invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, health certificate, bill of lading, loading photos and container/seal record as listed in the contract.

Use our Frozen Vegetable Solutions for category planning, review the Frozen Food Quality Control System, inspect the Traceability System, or see our Factory Audit and Inspection Support.

IQF Frozen Green Bean FAQ

1. Should the product be called cut or sliced green beans?

Cross-cut segments are Cut Green Beans. Sliced or French-Cut describes lengthwise strips.

2. What species and bean types do you supply?

Our standard product is round Phaseolus vulgaris L. Runner, Romano/flat and yardlong beans use separate product names and specifications.

3. Which diameter and cut-length options are available?

Diameters include 5-6.5, 6-8, 7-9, 8-10, 10-12, 6-10 and 6-12 mm. Cuts include 10-20, 20-30, 20-40, 25-35, 30-50 and 40-60 mm.

4. What size conformity and small-piece limits apply?

Grade A requires ≥90% diameter and length conformity with pieces below 10 mm ≤3%. Premium A+ requires ≥95% conformity with small pieces ≤1%.

5. What is French-Cut?

French-Cut beans are sliced lengthwise to 2-4 mm width, ≤7 mm thickness and 30-100 mm natural length. They are not transverse segments.

6. Are the green beans blanched and ready to eat?

They are blanched at 90-98°C for 60-180 seconds and released with negative peroxidase, but remain ready to cook. Heat the finished food to 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds.

7. How are strings, fibre and maturity controlled?

Grade A limits tough strings to ≤0.5%, edible fibre to ≤1%, inedible fibre to ≤0.1% and overmature units to ≤2%. Premium requires no tough strings or inedible fibre in 500 g and limits edible fibre to ≤0.5% and overmature units to ≤1%.

8. What are the stem, blemish and breakage limits?

Grade A permits ≤2 stem ends/500 g, major blemishes ≤1%, total blemishes ≤3% and mechanical damage ≤3%. Premium limits these to ≤1/500 g, ≤0.5%, ≤2% and ≤1.5%.

9. Is ice glaze added?

No. Added glaze is 0%. Grade A clumps and loose ice are each ≤2%; Premium limits each to ≤1%.

10. What microbiological limits are used?

Further-processing limits include APC ≤100,000 CFU/g, coliforms ≤100 CFU/g, E. coli <10 CFU/g, yeast and mould each ≤1,000 CFU/g, with Salmonella and L. monocytogenes not detected in 25 g.

11. What contaminant limits and reports are provided?

The EU table uses lead ≤0.10 mg/kg and cadmium ≤0.020 mg/kg for legume vegetables. Pesticide reports show each result, LOQ and applicable destination-market MRL.

12. What does the batch COA contain?

It contains actual diameter, length, conformity, defects, maturity, fibre, peroxidase, microbiology, contaminants, temperature, packing and release results with test methods.

13. What packing, MOQ and lead time apply?

Bulk, foodservice and retail formats are listed above. Standard MOQ is 12 MT per specification, standard lead time 15-21 days and printed retail packing 20-30 days after artwork approval.

14. What is the shelf life and reefer loading quantity?

Shelf life is 24 months at -18°C or below. A 20-foot reefer loads about 12 MT and a 40-foot reefer about 22-24 MT.

15. What information should be included in an inquiry?

Send bean species/type, whole or cut style, diameter, length, grade, defect and fibre limits, microbiology, pesticide panel, packing, quantity, application, destination market, port and private-label details.