As such, technological advances can concentrate coconut water to higher soluble solid levels of 60-65 ☋rix (or 35-40% water content), saving considerable resources on transportation.

Often, it is not commercially viable to transport large amounts of single strength coconut water (92-95% water content) in bulk to markets where coconuts are not readily available.

Please refer to Chapters 7, 11 and 12 for more details. If coconut water is extracted at a location away from the aseptic packaging site, the filtered coconut water can be packed into food grade plastic bags, quickly cooled and transported to downstream processing. Then, it is sent for de- oiling (separation), subsequent pasteurization and aseptic packaging. After filtration, the coconut water is quickly cooled to retard any deterioration reactions. This is especially important for mature coconut water, as dry husk fibres and dirt from the shell of mature nuts can easily get into the coconut water during extraction. Filtration can be done using a cheese cloth, fine filter or a scrap surface filter. This drains the coconut water out by minimizing the contamination of coconut water from the loose soil and fibres from the mature coconut shell.Īfter extraction, coconut water is filtered. As consumers increasingly demand the best quality coconut water, manufacturers prefer to drill the mature coconuts instead. Normally, the drilling of a hole occurs at or near one of the three eyes of the coconuts where the shell and flesh is the thinnest or weakest.įigure 6.1 Integrated Processing of Coconut Products (Flowchart)Ĭoconut water is also considered a by-product of desiccated coconut or coconut milk production, where the mature coconuts are collected and halved. They are drilled into the cavity to obtain the coconut water.

Nevertheless, both types of coconut water can be extracted and processed for packaging. Due to different characteristics of the husk, shell and interior of the coconut, the extraction methods for both types are slightly different. Please refer to Chapter 11 for more details.Ĭoconut water is harvested from young and mature coconuts. With the advances in aseptic packaging technology, the shelf life of coconut water can be extended for up to a year. This presented new challenges as coconut water reacts quickly once the nut is opened. As such, coconut water was extracted, processed, packaged and transported across long distances. The science behind coconut water and its characteristics was only required when there was exponential demand from various markets which did not produce enough coconuts. There was little need to develop scientific knowledge on coconut water processing as it was typically consumed fresh from the nut.

It's the Coconut Oil by Vivienna Khaan