Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600698
10/13/97

### FAVA (BROAD) BEANS-GENERAL INFORMATION

        The  fava bean looks somewhat like  a large,  overgrown

    green
    pea.   Inside,  the pale green, velvety pod is tightly

    packed
     with  about six to eight beans that  resemble  large

    round
    limas.   As with limas,  the pods are edible only when

    they
    are very young and immature.   As a rule,  the pods are

    discarded.
      Fava beans,  if available, arrive in spring and

    are
     out  of  season by early summer.   California  and  New

    Jersey
    produce most of the U.S. crop.

        Some  people  are  allergic  to  raw  fava  beans   and

    ingestion
     of the uncooked favas can result in mild or acute

    discomfort
     and,  in rare cases,  can induce  a  coma.   The

    cooked
    fava is not toxic.

##### Go To Top of File &&&&&& MSU Extension Home Page &&&&&& Main Page for this Data Base

###### This information is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. This information becomes public property upon publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise a commercial product or company. This file was generated from data base 01 on 03/09/98. Data base 01 was last revised on 10/13/97. For more information about this data base or its contents please contact wrublec@msue.msu.edu . Please read our disclaimer for important information about using our site.