Coconut Briquette Standardization
Coconut product Indonesia should follow several standardization steps to meet high-quality demands from the global markets. Indonesian coconut briquettes have been dubbed the world’s best, and it does not come easy.
There are pre- and post-production procedures that should meet the international standard of high-quality coconut briquette. This standardization starts from harvesting coconuts up to the making process. Once the production is done, the products should pass the quality control test to meet the Indonesian National Standard.
Preparing the Materials
Indonesian coconut briquettes are made of 100% natural coconut shells with no added mixes. As the shell quality significantly affects the product, it is important to consider the soil quality and harvesting time.
While coconut trees grow all over Indonesia, it is said that the best ones come from Sulawesi and some parts of Sumatra. The coconut shells from the regions can produce white ash with low ash content. The dry season is the best time for coconut harvesting.
Production Process
After the shells are separated from the flesh, the next step is burning, which is also called carbonizing process. The best way to carbonize is by burning those shells inside steel drums in a low-oxygen environment. This can produce coconut charcoal with a carbon content of over 80% and high calories.
The dry cooling method is the best way to cool this coconut product Indonesia after being burnt in steel drums. This is the best method to obtain the best briquettes with low water content. There is also a sprinkling method carried out by sprinkling water onto the shell under the sun to accelerate the cooling process while removing as much water as possible using sun exposure. Once the cooling is done, the shells are stored in the dry storage room.
Quality Control Test
Indonesian National Standard details the ash content and color, carbon content, calories, burning time, odors, smoke, sparks, cracks, and spot that should be met to qualify as good products. A good coconut briquette shall have high carbon content (min. 77%), low moisture (below 8%), and low ash content (below 8%).
Briquettes come in white to light grey color. The resulting color can also indicate the making process and material used. A dark-colored product means some wood is added to the mixture. If it is too white, meanwhile, artificial chemicals may be added.
To obtain the best product, coconut shells should contain more than 7000 calories and can last up to 1.5 hours on shisha. It should not produce odor, smoke, or sparks and aftertaste as well when used to burn shisha.
A high-quality coconut product Indonesia should not display cracks even after being dropped from 1 meter high under high heat. It should not leave black spots after burning as well.
Suppose you are looking for good-quality coconut briquettes, PT. Kelapa Asli Indonesia is a leading distributor of various high-quality coconut products. Our products include coconut sugar and oil.