Bulk Black Beans

Grade & Standardization

Black beans are supplied in two grades, conventional and certified organic, that are specification-equivalent. Grade selection is driven by label-compliance and sales-channel requirements rather than functional performance: both grades meet the same compositional and quality parameters (moisture, protein, fiber, ash), so a formulation validated on one grade transfers to the other.

Certified organic supply is sourced from USDA-certified farming operations within the same origin regions and carries documented chain-of-custody from certified field through processing, packaging, and shipment. Finer parameters (heavy metals, microbiological limits, pesticide residue, aflatoxin) are defined in spec sheets and COAs and can be added as documentation becomes available.

Certifications & Compliance

Source86’s Black Beans are supplied with full documentation support to streamline supplier qualification and QA review. The following certifications and compliance documents are available upon request:

• Certified Organic (organic grade only)
• Kosher Certified
• Halal Certified
• Non-GMO
• Gluten-Free Certified
• Certificate of Analysis (COA)
• Product Specification Sheet
• Allergen Statement
• Country of Origin Documentation
• Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

For quality assurance teams requiring additional documentation, including heavy metals testing, microbiological reports, pesticide residue analysis, and aflatoxin screening, requests can be accommodated on a per-order basis.

For certified organic grade orders, organic transaction certificates and chain-of-custody records are available as standard. Contact our team to confirm documentation availability for your specific compliance requirements.

Production & Sourcing

Black beans supplied by Source86 originate from Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina. These three regions collectively represent the largest global production base for Phaseolus vulgaris. Multi-origin sourcing provides supply continuity through staggered harvest cycles across the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, reducing exposure to regional crop disruptions. Primary harvest periods occur during the dry season in each region, typically between late summer and early winter depending on geography.

Certified organic volumes are sourced from USDA-certified farming operations within the same regions. Organic supply requires documented chain-of-custody from certified field through processing, packaging, and shipment, with organic transaction certificates issued at each transfer point.

Organic black bean availability is structurally tighter than conventional supply. Procurement teams building organic programs should plan for longer lead times and discuss volume commitments in advance.

How It’s Produced

• Harvesting: Mature black bean pods are harvested when fully dried on the plant and seeds have reached target moisture and maturity levels. Organic-grade harvesting follows certified organic farming protocols throughout the growing cycle.
• Drying: Harvested pods are dried to reduce moisture content to safe storage thresholds. Controlled drying prevents microbial growth and preserves seed integrity during transport and long-term storage.
• Shelling: Dried pods are mechanically shelled to extract intact black bean seeds while minimizing seed-coat damage.
• Cleaning and Sorting: Seeds are cleaned to remove field debris, broken seeds, and foreign material. Optical and mechanical sorting ensures size uniformity and removes off-color or defective seeds.
• Grading and Inspection: Cleaned seeds are graded against defined quality parameters including moisture content, protein level, and visual defect tolerances. Lots are held for QA release prior to packaging.
• Packaging: Approved lots are packed into 25 kg bags and labeled with full traceability documentation including country of origin, lot number, and packing date.

Applications

• Canned and Packaged Foods: Cooked black beans hold cellular structure through retort sterilization, making them suitable for canned soups, stews, chili, and ready-to-eat meal formats where defined texture in the finished product is required.
• Frozen Meal Manufacturing: Black beans retain texture and appearance through freeze-thaw cycles, supporting use in frozen burritos, grain bowls, and entree formats without structural degradation.
• Plant-Based Protein Products: High protein content and cohesive binding behavior in pureed form make black beans a primary structural ingredient in veggie burgers, meat analogues, and plant-based protein bars.
• Snack Manufacturing: Whole or split black beans can be roasted, seasoned, or extruded for crunchy snack formats. Low native fat content minimizes interference with added oil or seasoning systems.
• Sauces, Dips, and Spreads: Pureed cooked black beans contribute body, color depth, and protein density to manufacturing-scale sauce, dip, and spread formulations.
• Dry Culinary Blends: Whole dried black beans are included in pre-packaged soup, stew, and chili mixes where controlled hydration during the consumer cooking step is a design requirement.
• Bakery and Gluten-Free Manufacturing: Black bean puree and black bean flour are used in gluten-free baked goods, including bread, muffins, and brownies, contributing protein, fiber, and moisture retention without gluten structure.
• Prepared Salad Components: Cooked black beans are used as a pre-portioned component in refrigerated salad kits and prepared meal formats, adding protein content and textural contrast.
• Fillings and Stuffed Products: Whole or mashed black beans serve as a primary filling ingredient in burritos, enchiladas, stuffed peppers, and other formed food products requiring a cohesive, heat-stable fill.

Physical & Functional Characteristics

Functionality

• Plant-Based Protein Contribution: Black beans deliver approximately 21% protein on a dry basis, supporting protein content claims in manufactured food products without requiring isolates or concentrates.
• Dietary Fiber Enrichment: High crude fiber content supports fiber content claims and contributes to formulation targets in functional food, snack bar, and ready-meal categories.
• Binding and Thickening in Pureed Form: When cooked and pureed, black beans form a dense, cohesive paste that functions as a natural binder and thickener in sauces, dips, and formed-product applications.
• Moisture Absorption: Dried black beans absorb water during hydration and cooking, expanding to approximately twice their dry volume. This behavior must be factored into formulation water activity, cook yield, and net-weight calculations.
• Structural Integrity Under Heat: Whole black beans retain cellular structure through standard cooking temperatures and commercial retort processes, maintaining defined particulate texture in canned and frozen finished products.
• Low Fat Contribution: Native fat content below 1.5% means black beans do not materially alter the fat profile of a formulation, supporting low-fat and clean-label product positioning.
• Gluten-Free Formulation Compatibility: Black beans contain no gluten-bearing proteins and can function as a primary carbohydrate and protein source in certified gluten-free formulations without requiring additional structuring agents.

Benefits for Commercial Manufacturing

• Defined Specification for Quality-Controlled Procurement: Moisture max 14.0%, protein min 21.0% dry basis, ash max 4.0%. All values confirmed per COA at point of shipment.
• Multi-Origin Supply Reliability: Sourcing across Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina provides continuity through staggered harvest cycles, reducing single-origin procurement risk.
• Dual Grade Availability: Conventional and certified organic grades available from a single supplier. Both are specification-equivalent. Organic enables USDA Organic and EU Organic label claims and satisfies natural-channel retailer requirements. Organic supply is tighter; volume commitments are recommended for consistent availability.
• Clean Label Compatibility: Single-ingredient, no additives, no processing aids. Supports clean-label, non-GMO, and certified organic product positioning.
• Packaging and Logistics Flexibility: Standard supply in 25 kg bags. East and West Coast U.S. warehousing available. Custom packaging formats on request for high-volume accounts.
• Full Documentation Readiness: COA, specification sheets, allergen statements, and country-of-origin documentation provided as standard. Organic transaction certificates included for certified organic orders. Heavy metals, microbiological, and pesticide residue reports available on a per-order basis.