The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) has a high nutritional value due to the content of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins and has great importance as an economic food to Brazil. However, after the harvest grain enters a deterioration process, intensified in lighter seed coat grains such as cultivars of the Carioca group, used in this study. In conventional storage with environmental conditions, degradation occurs more rapidly due to factors such as high heat and humidity. Thus, new technologies to storage are required to reduce postharvest losses. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of cold storage and controlled atmosphere to conserve the cultivar 'Pérola' bean quality. The analyses realized in raw bean were protein, lipids, moisture, ash, total carbohydrates, cooking time and bean tegument color with CIE L*,a*,b* system. Beans were stored in chambers for 11 months in conventional storage, cold storage (10°C) and controlled atmosphere treatments (AC 1% O2+ CO2<1%; AC 10% O2+ 10% CO2; AC 11% O2+ 18% CO2; AC 4% O2 +10% CO2). The concentration of 1% O2, compared to other treatments, resulted the highest protein percentage in 'Pérola' bean (20.5%) when compared conventional storage (18.3%). Lipids showed the higher values in cold atmosphere 10°C (1.8%) comparing with conventional storage (1.1%) and other treatments. Ash and total carbohydrates showed no significant difference. Controlled atmosphere conditions and cold storage needed less time to cooking (29 minutes) compared with conventional storage (38 minutes). Storage in controlled atmosphere with low level of O2 decreased the darkening process showing values of L* (50.2) higher than conventional storage (39.5), better maintenance of the original cultivar color after 11 months stored. In conclusion, both controlled atmosphere (mainly in low levels of O2) and cold storage can maintain the 'Pérola' bean quality when compared with conventional storage.