Standardization of Coconut Copra: 3 Principal Quality Characters
Many factors have contributed to the quality of good coconut copra. We will look at the standard quality for good coconut copra commonly available in the market, including the ones that come from coconut product in Indonesia and other regions.
Some of the characteristics may relate to moisture, oil, and fatty acid content. Still, other factors like the quality of fresh ripe coconuts or the drying processes can also play a role here.
Ideal Coconut for Copra Making
A good quality copra requires a ripe coconut about 300 days of age and approximately 3 to 4 kilograms of weight. The best composition for an ideal ripe coconut will be coir (35%), shell (12%), coconut meat or pulp (28%), and coconut water (25%).
3 Primary Quality Characters
The following are three key analytical factors to assess coconut copra standard quality.
- Moisture content
Good quality coconut copra must have a low moisture content, about 6 to 7% (or even under 6 percent) of the coconut moisture. Having this low moisture content will prevent them from being susceptible to fungi attack or damage.
Therefore, we can tell fine copra by the nonexistence of fungi on the surface.
- Fatty acid content (FFA)
A-grade quality coconut copra requires a free fatty acid (FFA) level under one percent (1%).
- Oil content
If fresh coconut flesh is about 30 – 40 % of oil, dried copra (well-dried) will contain about 63 – 70 % of oil.
3 Basic Grades of Coconut Copra
At least three basic grades of coconut copra are available in the market.
- The lowest grade
.You can find this lowest grade in quite black or yellowing color. This coconut copra usually goes further into refined coconut oil (RBD).
- Regular grade
The regular grade is white copra with higher characteristics and specifications than the previous grade. Coconut oil production usually uses this grade. Moreover, it has lower FFA points.
- Edible grade
Most coconut-based product manufacturers or suppliers offer this edible grade as the premium quality coconut copra. Its key characteristics are white flesh color in minimum 8-cm diameter.
As the name implies, you can consume edible grade directly. Also, most food industries use this white edible copra as one of their main ingredients.
Now, you’ve learned about the standard quality of good coconut copra. PT Kelapa Asli Indonesia is one of the leading suppliers of coconut product Indonesia, including coconut copra and its derivatives. Not only distributes coconut-based products, but it also offers the quality you can expect.
