Coconut Products

Coconut biscuits are ready to eat snack products prepared from maida and coconut powder. It can be prepared in different varieties through addition of cocoa, butter; ginger etc. The product has a shelf life of three months under ambient conditions. It is mainly consumed as a snack item. Coconut biscuits are highly nutritious and delicious with low calories and high fiber content and is one of the healthiest snack items which is quite popular and is in great demand in Asia and Pacific countries, USA, European countries, Middle East and African countries.

It is a snack prepared by roasting coconut gratings. A procedure for preparation of coconut burfi was standardized. Coconut gratings (after extraction of fat) were roasted, then added fat at the rate of three percent and sugar at ten percent gave highest organoleptic qualities. The product has good nutritive value with protein (10.23%), Ash (2.1%) and carbohydrates (60.87%).

Coconut candy is prepared from grated coconut mixed with coconut milk. It has high fiber content and helps prevent intestinal sluggishness. It is a newly introduced product mainly produced in Asia and Pacific Countries.

Coconut chips are a ready-to-eat snack food. It is prepared in salted and sweetened forms. The Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod has standardized the process for preparation of chips. Coconuts of 9-10 months are used for the preparation of chips.

It is a sweet confectionery item prepared from coconut gratings sugar, milk butter with a coating of chocolate. It is rich in protein, carbohydrate and fiber. It can be made more delicious through addition of cashew, badam and other dry fruits. The product has a shelf life of three months under refrigerated conditions. The product is having extensive demand in Europe, North America, Australia, Middle East and China.

Processed and packed coconut cream is a ready-touse product which can either be used directly or diluted with water in various edible preparations. Coconut cream when partially defatted is called coconut milk. Coconut cream/ milk is used as an ingredient in household recipes and as a component of processed foods. Coconut milk is also used as coconut cream, a mixer in alcoholic drinks. Coconut milk/cream is available in pouches, bottles and tetra packs. Technology for the manufacture of coconut cream is available with Coconut Development Board.

This is a product similar to jaggery with high content of minerals. It is a rich source of potassium. It has good content of sodium and is free from total fats and cholesterol. It is produced when fresh Neera is heated and concentrated into syrup. The input output ratio is 6:1. The syrup has 50% sucrose content and possess low glycemic index at the levels of 35 GI which indicates that low levels of sugar gets absorbed into the blood thus making it safe for diabetic patients.-

Fresh neera when boiled to 118-120o C and allowed to cool for solidification. The solid mass is known as coconut jaggery or ‘gur’. Coconut jaggery is made in traditional coconut growing tracts in the country on a cottage scale. Calcium and phosphorus are the important minerals contained in coconut jaggery. Treacle is another product manufactured from sweet toddy. It is obtained by boiling down the toddy. Fresh toddy is also a good source of baker’s yeast. The fresh neera rapidly ferments and the sugar is replaced by about 5-8 per cent alcohol, which on distillation yields arrack. Fermented neera on acetic fermentation yields vinegar containing 4-7% acetic acid.

Coconut Milk is the oil-protein-water emulsion obtained by squeezing fresh grated coconut kernel. The undiluted and diluted forms are called coconut milk and the concentrated form is coconut cream. Coconut milk is obtained by extraction of fresh coconut wet gratings with or without water. This is an instant product, which can either be used directly/diluted with water to make various preparations such as fish & meat dishes, curries, sweets, deserts, puddings, cocktails, cakes, cookies, coconut jam, ice creams etc. It can also be used in the manufacture of bakery products and for coconut milk flavouring food stuffs. Preserved forms of coconut milk such as canned cream or milk and dehydrated whole milk are now available in many coconut growing countries. Commercial production of these products has been promoted in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Western Samoa, Sri Lanka and Malaysia and to some extent in India. Indonesia is the leading exporter of coconut milk followed by Sri Lanka, Thailand and Philippines.

The coconut palm syrup or jaggery can be crystallized to produce fine granules of sugar. Transition of coconut jaggery into a ground granule sweetener is more accepted by global markets. The recovery of palm sugar from coconut palm jaggery is 15%. The application of this sugar is tremendous and offers huge potential owing to its most important health attributes, the low Glycemic index and the high nutrient content. It can be the most suited alternative sweetener, especially when agave sugar is being rejected owing to the high fructose content. This alternative sugar industry is estimated to be a $1.3 billion industry and hence the market prospects are enormous.

Plant protein and is an invaluable material for the preparation of milk substitutes. Coconut skimmed milk is a solution of the soluble components of coconut after the cream is separated in a cream separator. Skimmed milk is a good source of quality protein suitable for the preparation of many useful food products or as supplemental protein source, especially in regions deficient in animal proteins. Freshly prepared coconut milk from pared kernel is filtered through a 120 mesh vibrating screen and the pH of the filtered milk is raised from 6.3 to 7.0 with the additions of sodium hydroxide. The milk is then pasteurized at about 60oC for one hour and subsequently centrifuged in a cream separator to yield the aqueous phase or the protein rich skimmed milk.

It is a nourishing and refreshing healthy soft drink concentrate prepared by mixing coconut water, sugar and natural preservatives like lemon and ginger. It is rich in vitamins and minerals with low calorie. The product has a shelf life of three months under ambient conditions. The product is a new item and is gaining popularity in Asia and Pacific countries.

Coconut vinegar is made from fermented coconut water and is used extensively as a preservative and fl avouring agent in pickles, salads, sauces and many other condiments. Coconut vinegar is also made from the sap of the coconut tree and is similar to the fresh coconut water. Naturally fermented coconut vinegar is rich in minerals and vitamins such as beta carotene, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and sodium. Raw, unfi ltered organic coconut vinegar is similar to the one that is fermented naturally. Coconut vinegar helps in digestion and improves the quality of cooked meat and fi sh. It is a healthier alternative to synthetic vinegar.

Dehydrated coconut meat in the grated and shredded form is desiccated coconut (DC). A large number of units in India are manufacturing DC which is mainly absorbed by the confectionery and other food industries. DC is also used as a substitute to grated coconut in various household preparations. DC is available in different grades based on the fineness of the material.

Nata-de-coco a cellulosic white to creamy yellow substance formed by acetobacter aceti subspecies Xylinium, on the surface of sugar enriched coconut water / coconut milk / plant extract / fruit juices or other waste materials rich in sugar.

It is popularly used as a dessert. It is also used as an ingredient in food products, such as ice cream, fruit cocktails, etc. “Nata” is a Spanish word, derived from the latin word “Natare” meaning “to float”. Nata making plays an important role in the development of our coconut industry because of the growing interest in its production from coconut water, an abundant waste product of coconut processing units.

Nata can be prepared from various fruits like banana, pineapple, tomato etc. and the product named after the media used, like “Nata de coco” from coconut, “Nata de pina” from pineapple etc. We can also use coconut milk, finely shredded coconut meat or coconut water in preparing Nata.

The vascular sap collected from immature unopened coconut inflorescence is popularly known as Neera in fresh form. It is a sugar containing juice and is a delicious health drink and a rich source of sugars, minerals and vitamins. It is sweet and oyster white in colour and translucent. It is tapped from the coconut inflorescence and is filtered, pasteurized and bio preservatives added to preserve the product. Treated Neera can be preserved in cans upto two months at room temperature. It can also be packed in tetra packs or glass bottles. Tapping can be done for six months in a year. It is an abundant source of minerals, 17 amino acids, vitamin C, broad spectrum B vitamins and has a nearly neutral pH.

Spray drying is the best method for the preservation of coconut milk. Spray dried coconut milk powder is reconstituted into coconut milk by adding water which can be used to make various food preparations. The product offers additional advantages such as less storage space, bulk packaging at reduced cost and longer shelf life. Technology for the manufacture of spray dried coconut milk powder is available with the Coconut Development Board.

The water of tender coconut (TCW) is a sterile, nutritious and thirst quenching health drink. It possesses therapeutic properties. The TCW has a calorifi c value of 17.4 per 100gm.

TCW is rich in potassium and other minerals. Sugars form an important constituent of the TCW. The concentration of sugars in the nut water steadily increases from about 1.5 per cent to 5-5.5 per cent in the early months of maturation and then slowly falls reaching about 2 per cent at the stage of the full maturity of the nut.