See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/324043500

Enhancing the Quality of Virgin Coconut Oil Associated with Clarity by

Reducing its Sediments

Conference Paper · August 2016

CITATIONS READS

0 1,022

4 authors, including:

Bandara Gajanayake Indika Karunarathna

Wayamba University of Sri Lanka Makandura/Kuliyapitiya Wayamba University of Sri lanka
28 PUBLICATIONS   124 CITATIONS    1 PUBLICATION   0 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Mississippi State University - SPAR Unit View project

Quantifying GHG Emissions from Different Farming/Cropping Systems in Sri Lanka with Different Cultural Practices View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Bandara Gajanayake on 27 March 2018.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Enhancing the Quality of Virgin Coconut Oil Associated with Clarity
by Reducing its Sediments
P.P. DHARMARATNE1, B. GAJANAYAKE1, K.M.H.I. KARUNARATHNA3 and
L.B.M.D.L. PRIYADARSHANE2
1Departmentof Plantation Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, 3Information and
Communication Technology Center,Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila (NWP), 60170, Sri
Lanka

2Cocotana Coconut Products, Batapaththala Junction, No.10, Katana, Negombo, 11534, Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT

Virgin Coconut oil (VCO) is a clear vegetable oil, with a distinct coconut flavour and aroma. In Sri
Lanka, it is manufactured using fresh dry method, whereas wet-milling and fermentation methods are also
used. Standards of the VCO are largely depending upon the type of processing and filter used in the process.
The quality deterioration which occurs when the sediments/foots at the bottom of the bottle putting
prospective buyers off as of the turbid appearance. Therefore this experiment was conducted to find out the
reasons for sedimentation which cause quality deterioration in the final product aiming at enhancing the
quality of VCO. Five treatments that characterize the performance of the filter types were taken and kept for
a period of thirty days to settle the foots at the bottom of the bottle. Then the amount of sediment was
quantified by measuring the height of the foot. The foots was tested for percentage of free fatty acid (% FFA)
using 0.082 N potassium hydroxide solution. A test was done to enumerate the yeast and mold on the foots
using SLS 516 standards. According to the results, the plate and frame filter press 1 and plate and frame filter
press 2 exhibited significant filtration ability than that of the polish filter and the cartridge filter. The % FFA
of the sediment resulted the high value and also there was a significant yeast and mold count. This concludes
that the foots could be reduced by improving the filtration process. This study proposes to place the filter
after the settling tank, which keep the oil for seven days as a measure to enhance VCO quality by improving
clarity.

KEYWORDS: Cold pressed, Enumeration, Plate and frame filter press, Sediments, Virgin coconut oil

INTRODUCTION the highest value products derived from the

Sri Lanka is the second largest land user fresh coconut (Rukunudin et al., 1998). During
for coconut (Cocos nucifera) as a plantation the years of 1970s and 1980s, a number of
crop. Coconut in Sri Lanka is mostly under coconut oil mills were modernized and new
private ownership with a large majority mills were established to produce virgin
classified as arable farm of less than 1.2 coconut oil supported by high export demand
hectares. Coconut industry provides (Bawalan and Champman, 2006). Exports of
employment to some 135,000 people who virgin coconut oil in 2014 increased to 7,278
involved in the production process and trading metric tons from 2,101 metric tons in 2013
sectors (CDA, 2015). The annual necessity of (Central Bank of Sri Lanka, 2015).
coconut for national consumption, local and Virgin coconut oil is extracted from fresh
export oriented industries is around 3,650 coconut meat and pressed using only physical
million nuts. An income of Rs. 47,952 million and/or natural means. Virgin coconut oil can be
was earned through exportation of coconut produced directly from the fresh comminuted
products in 2013. Yet the current annual (grated, chopped, granulated) coconut meat, or
production is around 2,400 to 3,000 million nuts from coconut milk, or from coconut milk
(CDA, 2015). It was seen as a sustainable residue. Then choice of the technology to be
resource from which the harvested materials adopted depends to a great extent on the scale
influenced every aspects of the lives. However of operation, the degree of mechanization
about 80-85% of such production is absorbed desired, amount of investment available and the
for domestic consumption and the balance is demands of the prospective buyer (Douglas,
utilized for commercial exploitation in the 2010). The scale of operation to be
forms of desiccated coconut, coconut oil, implemented is significantly dependent on the
coconut milk powder and coconut cream with available coconut supply base. Virgin coconut
more than 40 additional industrial products oil can be produced using four methods namely
(CDA, 2015). expeller, centrifuged, fermentation with heat
Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is the purest and without heat fermentation. Mostly the VCO
form of coconut oil. Introduced into the world millers in Sri Lanka use the fresh coconut meat
market at the end of the 20th century, it is one of which is dried and pressed by an expeller to

368
 Enhancing the Quality of Virgin Coconut Oil by Reducing its Sediments

extract VCO in fresh dry process without wounded around the central tube which has 1
undergoing chemical refining, bleaching or µm pore size. Filters are in a fixed volume and
deodorizing methods. It is extracted using cold batch operation which simply means that the
press and unrefined process at low operation must be stopped to discharge the filter
temperatures. By utilizing this method the cake before the next batch gets started. Its
greatest amount of nutrients are preserved. specific volume of solids can be held by the
“Cold pressed” refers to the temperature at filters (Douglas, 2010).
which the oil drips from the expeller. Therefore, The filtered VCO then stores in stainless
“cold pressed” oil refers to the dripping steel conical shaped bottom tanks for seven
temperature of the oil which is less than 60 °C days for sedimentation. Gravity is mainly
(Honary, 2004). associated with the slow sedimentation process
Virgin coconut oil which can be of an immiscible mixture (Geankoplis, 2003).
considered as one of the healthiest oils in the As a solution placing of filter after a storage
planet. It contains natural vitamin E and has not tank will minimize the sediment percentage
undergone atmospheric and hydrolytic (Bawalan and Champman, 2006) or using of
oxidation as attested by its low peroxide value filter aid namely Perlite, diatomite can be used
and low free fatty acid content. It has a mild to for better filtration (Perlmutter, 2009).
intense fresh coconut aroma (Bawalan, 2011). Even though, the sediment/foot is
The medium chain (C8–C12) fats in VCO are removed as it is, there is an unsightly white
similar in structure to the fats in mother’s milk residue that settle at the bottom of VCO bottle
that gives babies immunity from disease and in retail stores after one month time period. It
have similar effects (Kabara, 2000). According reduces the clear appearance low consumer
to Fife (2004), coconut oil possesses anti- preference and finally creates low demand from
inflammatory, anti-microbial and antioxidant consumers and thus lowers the export demand.
properties that work together to protect the With this background, this study was
arteries from atherosclerosis and the heart from conducted to identify the sediments that occur
cardiovascular disease. at the bottom of the bottle, through the
Due to its nutritive value, it is not evaluation of the efficiency of the filtering
subjected to high temperature and solvents machines and to determine the percentage of
procedure. As an edible pure coconut oil, Virgin free fatty acid of the sediment and the VCO
Coconut Oil market, whether local or layer. Further yeast and mold enumeration was
international, should be protected and sustained done to identify the occurrence of unsightly
by ensuring its quality. Quality characteristics residues (foots) at the bottom of the bottle due
namely colour, odor, taste, free fatty acid to the mold growth.
content and moisture content are kept properly
for its better export quality (Bawalan and MATERIALS AND METHODS
Champman, 2006). The colour of VCO also The study was carried out at a Virgin
indicates that it has been processed at the right Coconut Oil mill at Katana from December
temperature and with strict quality control in 2015 to May 2016.
handling the fresh coconut. It should be water-
clear without any sedimentation. The odor and Effect of Filters
taste of VCO is sweet with no rancid smell First, 500 mL VCO samples were
(Bawalan and Champman, 2006). collected from the tanks including three
Standards of VCO including quality replicates for each, and another 500 mL sample
characteristics, identity characteristics, from the storage tank including three replicates.
allowable contaminants, hygiene, packaging, Those samples were kept for one month until it
labeling and methods of sampling. Standards of occurs sediments.
the VCO depend on the processing steps. Tank 1- Sample from the tank before the plate
Maintenance of the temperature during the and frame filter press 1
desiccated coconut manufacturing prior to VCO Tank 2- Sample from the tank after the plate and
extraction is essential. It should be below 60 °C frame filter press 1(with the pore size of 8 µm)
temperature. The expeller temperature during Tank 3- Sample from the tank after the plate and
VCO extraction should keep below 50 °C. The frame filter press 2 (with the pore size of 5 µm)
extracted VCO is filtered through plate and Tank 4- Sample from the tank after polish filter
frame filter press, polish filter and cartridge (with the pore size of 3 µm)
filter. The cloth material used in the plate and Tank 5- Sample from the tank after cartridge
frame filter press and polish filter are filter (with the pore size of 1 µm)
Polypropylene, with the pore sizes of 8 µm or 5 Subsequently, that the height of the sediment
µm and 3 µm respectively and the cartridge was measured and the values were compared.
filter contains natural or synthetic yards which
 Dharmaratne, Gajanayake, Karunarathna and Priyadarshane

Determination of Fatty Acids control. The plates are then aerobically

Five grams from sediment and five grams incubated at 25 °C±1 °C for five days to seven
from pure oil were measured into a conical days (Anon, 2013).
flask. Fifty milliliters of alcohol, 2-3 pieces of
stones and 1-2 drops of Phynopthelyne Data Analysis
indicator were added to it. Then it was boiled The data generated from the experiment
for 40 minutes. After that the solution was were statistically analyzed using the General
titrated with 0.082 N potassium hydroxide Linear Model (GLM) procedure of SAS
solution (KOH) (CDA, 2015). Free fatty acid Statistical Analysis package, (SAS, 2006).
percentage (% FFA) was calculated using the Mean separation was done using Least
formula (Eq.1) recommended by Coconut Significant Difference (LSD) and relationship
Development Authority (CDA) of Sri Lanka, between the % FFA and mold growth was
analyzed using Chi-square test and regression
(𝑉1 − 0.1) × 20 × 0.082) procedures.
𝐹𝐹𝐴% = × 100 (1)
𝑊
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Where, Performance of the Filters
V1=Volume of the KOH There were significant difference between
W=Weight of the Oil sample the heights of the sediment (HOS) recorded
from the tank number 1, 2 and 3 of each and
Enumeration of Yeast and Mold every day. Among the 20 days, the filter less
Ten samples from the storage tank were control samples (Tank 1) was significantly
taken and kept for a period of 30 days. Then difference from the value of other tanks each
0.25 mL of Peptone and 2 g of NaCl were mixed day (Table 1).
and prepared, two 80 mL of Peptone bottles. Height of the sediment recorded in tank 1,
Then 9.5 g of Dichloran 18% (mass tank 2 and tank 3 were significantly different
concentration) glycerol agar (DG18) was (Table 1). That reveals the plate and frame filter
measured and prepared 300 mL of agar press 1 and plate and frame filter press 2 were
solution. Those were sterilized by autoclaving filtering well. Height of the sediment recorded
at 121 °C for 15 minutes. After sterilization 10 in tank 3 and tank 4 also were not significantly
mL of Polyoxyethylene (20) Sorbittan Mono different, therefore it shows that the polish filter
Oleate (Tweena -80) was added to each 80 mL was not filtering the sediment well (Table 1).
of peptone solution. Then 10 mL of sediment Also the height of the sediment recorded in tank
sample and 10 mL of VCO sample (without 4 and tank 5 were not significantly different.
sediments) were added separately for each 80 Therefore it shows that the cartridge filter was
mL of peptone bottles. Shacked well and four not filtering the sediment well (Table 1). It may
petri dishes of 5 mL of the solution will be due to the fine particles which are smaller than
prepared of each treatment excluding the the pore size of each filter may go through the

Table 1. Mean values of the height of the sediment recorded from each tank
Tank Number
Day
1(Control)(mL) 2(mL) 3(mL) 4(mL) 5(mL) cv LSD
1 0.300010a 0.216670b 0.156670c 0.14000cd 0.113330d 2.306 0.0339
2 0.301231a 0.200000b 0.156667c 0.160000c 0.113333d 2.306 0.0154
3 0.233221a 0.180000b 0.156670c 0.110000c 0.150000b 2.306 0.0392
4 0.211567a 0.113333b 0.106667c 0.07333cd 0.073333d 2.306 0.0172
5 0.202245a 0.173333b 0.130000c 0.100000d 0.093333d 2.306 0.0224
6 0.299240a 0.176670b 0.14667bc 0.130000c 0.113330c 2.306 0.0365
7 0.282120a 0.140000b 0.13000bc 0.10667dc 0.100000d 2.306 0.0255
8 0.274511a 0.140000b 0.113333c 0.100000c 0.080000d 2.306 0.0196
9 0.288800a 0.150000b 0.150000b 0.120000c 0.100000d 2.306 0.0000
10 0.201220a 0.170000b 0.070000c 0.080000c 0.080000c 2.306 0.0231
11 0.198809a 0.153333b 0.100000 c
0.100000c 0.100000c 2.306 0.0054
12 0.193455a 0.130000b 0.100000c 0.093333c 0.080000d 2.306 0.0109
13 0.158456a 0.073333b 0.060000c 0.046667c 0.043333c 2.306 0.0188
14 0.197760a 0.140000b 0.140000b 0.093330c 0.060000c 2.306 0.0356
15 0.187780a 0.126670b 0.10333bc 0.066670c 0.050000c 2.306 0.0639
16 0.234480a 0.193330b 0.140000c 0.100000d 0.100000d 2.306 0.0272
17 0.189976a 0.100000b 0.09333bc 0.08667bc 0.080000c 2.306 0.0154
18 0.319930a 0.20000bc 0.216670b 0.170000c 0.120000d 2.306 0.0317
19 0.295899a 0.200000b 0.106667c 0.070000d 0.080000d 2.306 0.0196
20 0.209230a 0.140000b 0.113330c 0.086670d 0.09333cd 2.306 0.0249
Means followed by the same letter in each row are not significantly different at 0.05 probability level; cv- Critical
value; LSD- Least Significant Difference
 Enhancing the Quality of Virgin Coconut Oil by Reducing its Sediments

filter pores and shows as sediments. The filter for the mold growth on the sediment layer, than
material should clean with hot water when it the free fatty acid (approximately 19%), on the
shows the low filtering efficiency. Virgin Coconut oil layer. The rest of the
The cleaning process is done according to percentage may be the moisture and other
the manufactures, as an average, plate and contaminants etc. Placement of filters after the
frame filter press is cleaned once a week, polish settling tank which kept the oil for seven days
filter is cleaned once a month and cartridge can be proposed as a measure to enhance VCO
filter is cleaned once in a two months. quality by improving its clarity.
The blocking effect of the filter pores may
occur inefficient filtering effect. Filter which is ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
placed after a storage tank will minimize the The authors would like to offer their
percentage of sediment (Bawalan and gratitude to the officers of the Coconut
Champman, 2006) or using of filter aid namely Development Authority (CDA), Narahenpita.
Perlite, diatomite filters can be used for better They also wish to thank Mr. Suresh Fernando,
filtration of solid particles (Perlmutter, 2009). the Chairman of the Cocotana Coconut product
mills, Katana and his staff members for giving
Effect of FFA on Mold Count permission to conduct the research at their
The experiment conducted to determine premises.
the relationship between free fatty acid
percentage (% FFA) and mold growth of the REFERENCES
same sample of sediment layer and Oil layer Anon. (2013). SLS 516, Microbiology of food
shows, an increment of the % FFA and animal feeding stuffs part 2-horizontal
(0.09±0.014%) and Mold count (32.2±5.45 method for the enumeration of yeasts and
CFU/g) of Sediment layer than % FFA mold (second revision). recommended by
(0.03±0.003%) and the mold count (17.5±9.52 coconut development authority.
CFU/g) of the oil layer (Table 2). The % FFA Bawalan, D.D. and Chapman, K.R. (2006).
and the mold count of the sediment layer are Virgin coconut oil production manual for
significant at the 0.05 probability level. Also the micro and village scale processing, FAO
% FFA and the mold count of the oil layer are regional office, Thailand. 24- 25.
significant at the 0.05 probability level (Table Bawalan, D.D. (2011). Processing manual for
2). virgin coconut oil, its products and by-
products for pacific island countries and
Table 2. Mean values of mold count and territories. 17-18.
FFA percentage Central bank of Sri Lanka (2015). National
Factor Sediment Oil layer output and expenditure, Central bank of Sri
layer Lanka annual report 2013- 2014. 15-16.
Mold Count (CFU/g) 12.2±3.45a 5.5±1.52a Coconut Development Authority (CDA),
FFA% 0.09±0.014b 0.03±0.003b (2015). Converting coconut industry into
Means followed by the same letter in each column are one billion USD businesses by 2020
not significantly different at 0.05 probability level,
through underutilized resources and quality
FFA-Free Fatty Acid, CFU- Colony Forming Units
infusion, Coconut Development Authority,
54, Nawala Road, Narahenpita Colombo 5.
When the model is fixed, sediment layer
Douglas, S. (2010). Oil seed fact sheet: oil
showed high response than the oil layer,
filtration. Department of Agricultural and
consequently the effect of % FFA over the level
Biological Engineering, Penn State College
of mold count is significantly higher in
of Agricultural Sciences, Burlington, VT,
sediment layer (49%) than the oil layer (19%).
United States of America. 2-3.
It may be due to the mold which can be found
Fife, B. (2004). Lecture on health benefits of
whenever there is moisture, oxygen, and a
coconut oil, organized by the virgin
source of nutrients. Therefore the sediments
coconut oil producers and traders
which has high % FFA than oil layer shows
association of the Philippines and the
significant mold count.
center for International Trade, Exposition
and Mission (CITEM), Philippine Trade
CONCLUSIONS
Training Center, Pasay City, Philippines.
In the present study the results of filter
Geankoplis, S. (2003). The truth about coconut
performance conformed the filtering ability of
oil (The drugstore in a bottle), Anvil
the plate and frame filter press 1 and plate and
publishing inc. Pasay city, Philippines.
frame filter press 2 were significant than the
178.
polish filter and the cartridge filter. Results
from the free fatty acid test revealed that the free
fatty acid (approximately 49%) are responsible
 Dharmaratne, Gajanayake, Karunarathna and Priyadarshane

Honary, L.A.T. (2004). Biodegradable / Perlmutter, B.A. (2009). Selection of filters for
biobased lubricants and greases. the separation process. Journal of
Machinery lubrication magazine issue Chemical Engineering World, 44 (12), 6-7.
number 200109 Noria corporation. 5. 2-3 Rukunudin, I., White, P.J., Bern, C.J and Baily
Kabara, J.J. (2000). Health oils from the tree of T.B. (1998). A modified method for
life (nutritional and health aspects of determining free fatty acids from small
coconut oil). Paper delivered during the soybean sample sizes. Journal of the
Asian and Pacific Coconut Community American Oil Chemists’ Society, 75 (5),
(APCC) COCOTECH meeting held in 56-58.
Chennai, India.

View publication stats