Coconut-Based Technologies for the Edible Sector
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COCONUT-BASED TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE EDIBLE SECTOR By PRISCILLA C. SANCHEZ, Ph.D.* ABSTRACT Coconut as human food answers the need for diversification of its utilization. There are numerous food products derived from coconut, however, the paper describes technologies for processing and utilization of coconut that are adoptable in village scale. Detailed information on the description of the product and its uses, equipment and materials needed for its manufacture, labor requirement, description of the process and flow diagram and the analysis and stability of the products were given. Fifteen technologies were selected namely: edible oil from fresh coconut, coconut syrup, coconut sugar, buko (7-8 month coconut) in syrup, dried buko chips, coconut filled white soft cheese, coco yoghurt, cultured coconut skim milk-blend beverage, dehydrated edible mature coconut, nata de coco, coconut water vinegar, coconut water wine, coco champagne, coconut flour and products from coconut residue obtained from the wet process. The procedures are easily adoptable and require minimal investments. INTRODUCTION Coconut is one of the major crops of the Philippines. Approximately one-third of the population of the country is involved in the coconut industry. Copra, the main product from coconut, contributes about 25-30 percent of our annual foreign exchange earnings. Unfortunately, the coconut industry is meeting stiff competition from other vegetable oil sources such as soybean and other oilseeds. The demand for coconut oil therefore sharply declined. The economic recession miserably affects a great majority of Filipinos who depend heavily on coconut for their livelihood. There is a need for diversification of the utilization of coconut specifically for food to increase the demand for coconut thus relieving the coconut farmers from the effect of fluctuation of copra prices. In addition, it will enable the coconut farmers to make use of their own produce to make varied products which they can consume or sell. Food Uses of Coconut The parts of the coconut used for human consumption are the heart or pith, the nut and the sap. The heart is consumed as a vegetable dish, canned in brine and manufactured into pickles. The sap from the inflorescence is fermented naturally (tuba) or further distilled (lambanog) and consumed as alcoholic beverages. ---------------------------------------- * Associate Professor, Institute of Food Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines at Los Banos (UPLB), College, Laguna 4031, Philippines. Both the young and mature nuts are good sources of raw and processed products. The fresh young nut (buko) meat and water are served as fresh beverages. The water is also preserved in bottles as beverage. The young coconut meat is processed into dehydrated buko, as crispy snack food and as candied products. Also is used as a vegetable noodle in the preparation of pansit and as an ingredient in various recipes. The coconut water from both young and mature nuts can be processed into beverages, vinegar and nata de coco. A new and economical process for nata de coco production utilizes the very diluted coconut milk. The mature nut has varied uses. The dehydrated meat (copra) is a good source of oil while the dehydrated edible mature coconut meat (DMCM) can be eaten as is or processed into sweetened products. The fresh coconut meat yields the coconut milk and the residue. The coconut milk is used as a component of manufactured foods such as filled evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, custard, white soft cheese, yoghurt and fermented beverage similar to yakult. The residue is manufactured into flour which in turn is incorporated in the manufacture of bread, nutribun, cookies, cakes, empanaditas, rolls, pretzel, brittle, macaroons and many other baked products. TECHNOLOGIES FOR VILLAGE-LEVEL PROCESSING COCONUT EDIBLE OIL A. Product Description and Uses Coconut oil is white to light yellowish brown obtained from the dry and wet processing of coconut meat. It contains glycerides which consist of glycerol and fatty acids. It is highly saturated thus, of great value to the manufacture of many food products. Coconut oil exhibits short melting point range, melting sharply at 240C. Its importance to the manufactured foods is due to the solid fat index which are as follows: 69.9% at 10 degrees; 59.5% at 15 degrees; 41.9% at 20 degrees; 10.7% at 25 degrees and 0.0% at 30 degrees Centigrade. Due to its bland flavor and absence of Unpleasant odor, coconut oil is ideal as fat source in filled milk, powdered infant milk and dairy and confectionery applications such as ice cream, coating of candies, filling cream, biscuit cream, cookies and crackers. B. Equipment/Materials Needed Coconut grater Coconut vessel, open type Cooking stove Stirrer Materials: Mature coconut (10-13 month), 90 pcs. - 100 kilos meat Water - 100 liters Yield = 20 kilos oil C. Labor Requirement 2 persons per batch D. Process Description The coconuts are dehusked then split into halves. The white meat is grated and the meat is squeezed with water at one part meat to one part water. The milk is pressed-out either by hand or by mechanical presser; the former being more efficient. Second extraction of the milk is done using the same method as the first extraction. The two extracts are combined and allowed to stand undisturbed for 3 hours. The top layer or cream is separated from the whey by decanting or gravity separation. The cream is transfered to the open kettle, then heated gently with constant stirring to avoid browning of the protein. When the protein is just turning light brown, heating is stopped and the mixture is allowed to cool before the oil is filtered. The coconut oil is transferred to a clean dry container then sealed. E. Process Flow Diagram The process flow diagrams for microindustry and small-industry productions of edible coconut oil are shown in Figures 1 and 2. F. Analysis of Coconut Oil The analysis of coconut oil is as follows: 24-270C melting point, 250-264 saponification value, 7.5-10.5 iodine value, 19-220C solidifying point, 0.869 specific value at 990C, 1.448 refractive index at 400C and 15.1 Polenske value. Coconut oil consists of fatty acids with the following value: caprylic, 7.6%; capric, 7.3%; lauric, 48.2%; myristic, 16.6%; palmitic, 8.0%; stearic, 3.8%; palmitoleic, 1.0%; oleic, 5.0%; and linoleic, 8.5%. It has 8.5% unsaturation. COCONUT SYRUP A. Product Description and Uses Coconut syrup is a very sweet, thick free-flowing mixture which has the characteristic flavor of coconut sap. 'Me sugar content is, approximately 75%. It is used as sweetening agent for many traditional food preparations and as spread for bread and native delicacies. B. Equipment/Materials Needed Open cooking vessel, 18 liter capacity Stove Wooden stirrer Materials: Coconut sap - 10 liters Calcium carbonate - 10 grams Tri-sodium phosphate (10% solution) - l liter Yield = 1.7 kilograms C. Labor Requirement 2 persons for 4 batches per day D. Process Description The newly harvested coconut sap is filtered through clean cheesecloth to remove any foreign materials. During collection of the sap, approximately 0.1% calcium carbonate is added to inhibit fermentation of the sap. The sap is heated until it reaches 450C. During heating the mixture is stirred constantly to prevent scorching. One hundred milliliter of 10% solution of tri-sodium phosphate is added upon reaching 450C to precipitate calcium salts as insoluble calcium phosphate. Heating is continued until it slowly rises to 1000C with occasional stirring. The mixture is allowed to boil for a few minutes then filtered. Coconut oil (one drop/10 liters sap) is added to the clear solution, which is then boiled for another 2-3 hours in an open cooking vessel provided with bamboo basket with both ends open to prevent the spill over of the mixture during the boiling process. Caramelization is prevented by constant stirring of the mixture. Upon reaching the right consistency, the syrup is poured in clean wide mouth bottle, cooled and closed tightly. E. Process Flow Diagram The process flow diagram for coconut syrup manufacture is, shown in Figure 3. COCONUT SUGAR A. Product Description and Uses Coconut sugar is crude, dark brown and in moulded form. The crystals are coarse and of varied sizes. Similar with the coconut syrup, it retains also the distinct coconut flavor of the sap. The sugar content is approximately 80%. B. Equipment/Materials Needed Cooking vessel, 70 liter capacity Furnace Stirrer, wooden Settling tank, 130 liter capacity Crystalizer vessel, 112 liter capacity Centrifuge pedal operated Materials: Coconut sap - 50 liters Calcium carbonate - 50 grams Tri-sodium phosphate (10% solution) - 5 liters C. Labor Requirement 2 persons per batch D. Process Description The method for sap collection and the treatments are the same as the preparation of coconut syrup. The boiling process however, is prolonged for an additional 1 hour to effect crystalization. E. Process Flow Diagram The flow diagram of the process for the manufacture of coconut sugar is shown in Figures 4 and 5. BUKO IN SYRUP A. Product Description and Uses Buko in syrup approximates the quality both in texture and taste of the fresh buko. It is prepared from coconut from 7-8 month old. It is served directly as dessert or used as filling for pie. B. Equipment/Materials Needed Pressure cooker Knives, stainless steel Soaking and washing vessel, stainless steel Stove Materials: Buko - 400 pcs Sodium metabisulfite - 1.3 kilos Water - 133 liters Sugar, refined - 67 kilos Vitamin E (100 IU) Yield = 400 jars (250 g net wt.) D. Labor Requirement 2 persons per batch E. Process Description Prepare dipping solution by dissolving 20 g sodium metabisulfite per 2 liters of water. Mix thoroughly and set aside.