DESICCATED COCONUT

Desiccated Coconut is a grated, dried (3% moisture content max.), and unsweetened fresh meat or kernel of a mature fruit of coconut. Desiccated Coconuts are graded by its cutting size, for example, fine grade and medium grade where fine grade is smaller particle size than the medium grade.

Desiccated coconut, also known as coconut powder, is in dry form and has many applications. Its shelf life is longer and it is easy to transport. Availability of fresh coconuts is limited to coastal areas only and hence desiccated coconut is popular in all other regions.

The processes of desiccated coconut are as below:

Removal of coconut husk,
Removal of coconut shell,
Removal of thick brown coconut skin,
Washing of white coconut meat to remove foreign material,
Blanching of white coconut meat to reduce the number of microorganism to the safe level fit for human consumption within its shelf life,
Cutting of white coconut meat into the desired size,
Hot air blow drying the grated white coconut meat to reduce the moisture content from 19% to less than 3%,
Cooling of desiccated coconut,
Sieving of desiccated coconut to separate desiccated coconut as according to the desired size,
Finally, packing of desiccated coconut.

One thousand nuts are expected to yield about 130kg of Desiccated Coconut. Production of Desiccated Coconut is a real hard work as the removal of coconut husk, shell and skin are done manually or given the best of current technology are done semi-automatically.

Fresh coconuts have limited availability as well as shelf life once their shells are removed. Hence, dried coconuts in the form of Copra or coconut powder have become mass consumption items due to their availability round the year, longer shelf life, reduction in wastage, convenient to transport and freedom to the consumers to buy the required quantity. Desiccated coconut is not used in large quantities in individual households but its main consumers are confectionary and biscuit industry. It is also used in the preparation of sweets, chocolate, ice-cream and many other food and snack preparations. Thus, restaurants, canteens, sweets, confectionaries, ice cream manufacturers, certain food processing units and caterers are bulk and regular consumers.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS

It is simple and well-established. Fully grown and matured coconuts of around 1 year are stored with husk for about a month to facilitate absorption of water and separation of coconut kernels from shell walls. After de-husking, their shells are removed and brown portion (also known as Tasta) is removed by scrapping it off and in this process around 12-15% of the kernel goes as paring which is further processed to obtain oil, and thus there is a ready market for this by-product. Subsequently, de-shelled coconuts are broken into pieces, washed O and disintegrated in powder form. This powder is then dried in tray drier at about 70-80 C and powder is stirred occasionally to ensure uniform drying. On cooling, it is passed through vibratory screen with different mesh sizes to segregate the powder according to mesh size. Finally, it is packed in moisture and oil-proof polythene-lined plywood boxes of 10, 25 or 50 kgs. Retail sales is not much but for that packing of 200 or 400 gms. is advisable. Recovery of desiccated coconut largely depends upon quality of coconuts. But on an average processing of 100 coconuts gives around 12-13 kgs. of coconut powder. By-products like parings and shell can be sold in the market. The process flow chart is as under:

De husking of coconuts

Deshelling and disintegration

Drying

Sieving/Grading

Packing

Applications of Desiccated Coconut

Desiccated Coconut is ideal for use as fillers, toppings and as ingredients, especially in the baking of biscuits, snack bars, cakes, cookies and so on.

How to identify a good quality Desiccated Coconut?

A good quality Desiccated Coconut should be white in colour, reasonably free from yellow specks, black spots and other discolourations. It should have sweet aroma of coconut, mild characteristic of coconut without rancid and even particle size distribution.

What are black spots in Desiccated Coconut?

Black spots are foreign materials found in Desiccated Coconut. These foreign materials are primarily the grated and dried coconut skin, which had gone through the cutting and drying processes together with the white coconut meat. There is no perfect, error margin is allowable at not more than 4 pieces of black spots in 100 g of desiccated coconut is acceptable.

Low fat or high fat Desiccated Coconut?

The value of Desiccated Coconut lies at the fat content. Desiccated Coconut is categorized into full fat (high fat) or reduced fat (low fat). A full fat Desiccated Coconut has a minimum of 60% fat, any lesser is a reduced fat Desiccated Coconut. Full fat Desiccated Coconut has higher monetary value than the reduced fat. In the past, coconut fat or coconut oil has been mistakenly believed for causing heart disease. Coconut oil is high in saturated fats, which have been taking the blame for problems caused by trans fats.

Packing and Storage of Desiccated Coconut

Desiccated Coconuts are packed in multi-ply kraft paper bags with inner sealed polythene to keep away from the atmosphere’s moisture. Desiccated Coconuts are packed in 10 kg, 25 kg or 50 kg. Desiccated Coconuts shall be stored in cool and dry place. Avoid direct sunlight and strong odour