Study on shelf life of coconut
meat
By
Gomathi R. (15ftr013), Kumutha K. (15ftr025)
Introduction
• Among all other tropical tree crops, Coconut is
considered as one of the most economically
predominant crops.
• As per the statistics India ranks third in coconut
production in the year 2016 -2017 with 20440
million nuts (CDB , Ministry of Agriculture and
Farmers Welfare, Government of India).
• In India, the southern part of the country such as
Kerala, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Andhra pradhesh
holds the top for ranks in coconut production.
• It has a outer skinny epicarp, fibrous mesocarp,
hard endocarp. Within this endocarp is
endosperm(flesh) and water.
Scope
• Major coconut products available in market are
– Coconut
– Tender coconut water
– Coconut oil
– Desiccated coconut
– Coconut milk and cream
• But in India, fresh coconut meat plays a major role in
cooking. Hence, our scope is to provide fresh
coconut in a convenient form for household purpose.
Problems
• Exporting and marketing of fresh coconut is
done along with endocarp, which occupies
huge space thus increasing the transportation
cost
• Increasing busy life schedule of people finds it
difficult to use the coconut
• When the coconut is split open, its shelf life is
minimized to around 2 days
Review of literature
S. No. Title Name of the Findings
author
1. Shelf life modelling of Milenna Sinigaglia, Shelf life is strongly
ready to eat coconut Maria R. Corbo, dependent on temperature
Daniela D’Amato and raw material quality i.e.
shelf life of 7days at 4⁰C but
reduced to 5days at 10⁰C.
2. Effect of different Viduranga Y. Pre-treatments like
pre-treatments of Waisundara, blanching and freezing have
fresh coconut kernels Conrad O. Perera, influence on enzyme activity
on some of the Philip J. Barlow of coconut and also in
quality attributes of sensory quality. Blanching
the coconut milk can increase the shelf life of
extracted the kernel
S. No. Title Name of the author Findings
3. Application of K.D.P.P. Gunathilake Temperature influences
hurdle technology FFA value. Hurdle
to preserve fresh technology can increase
scraped coconut at the shelf life of coconut to
ambient and one month at ambient
refrigerated condition and to 3months
storage at refrigerated condition
4. Fungal spoilage of P.N. okolie, Main fungal species that
coconut fruits C.L. Obi, cause spoilage in coconut
during storage and P.O. Uaboi-Egbenni are Aspergillus flavus and
the growth Aspergillus niger.
differential of
isolates on
selected amino
acids and
carbohydrates
S. No. Title Name of the author Findings
5. The effect of Prasong Blanching of coconut at
blanching on Siriwongwilaichat, 95⁰C for 5minutes is
texture and color Kunita Thongart, suitable for preserving
of frozen young Patharaporn coconut in frozen state of
coconut meat Thaisakornphan -18⁰C
6. Storage study and Archana Gopalrao Coconut grating with 2%
quality evaluation Lamdande, salt concentration stored
of fresh coconut Maya Prakash, at -13.5⁰C and -20⁰C has
grating Raghavarao good shelf life and
sensory quality than at
2.5⁰C
7. Evaluation of pre- Jriyawaranugoon, U. Blanching influences the
treatment on shelf life of coconut
osmo-dried
coconut properties
and its impact on
quinoa dessert
S. No. Title Name of the author Findings
8. Pre-treatment P. Chantaro, Blanching strongly
conditions affect S. Sribuathong, influences the TSS and
quality and sensory R. Charoen, lightness(L*). Preferred
acceptability of P. Chalermchaiwat blanching time
dried osmotic temperature combination
dehydrated is 95⁰C for 5minutes
coconut
9. Transition in tuber Kashif Sarfraz Polypropylene and LDPE
quality attributes Abbasi, have the best result in
of potato under Tariq Masud, retention of quality for
different packaging Abdul Qayyum over 2 months.
systems during
storage
Objective
The main objective of the study is
• To produce fresh coconut meat in packed form
• To study the effect of different packaging
methods and pretreatments on the
biochemical changes coconut
• To study the shelf life of coconut in packed
form
Materials and methodology
Sample preparation
• Matured fresh coconut was purchased from
the local market
• The coconut was split into two halves to drain
the water and the edible portion was removed
from the shell
• The removed edible portion was washed with
water and cut into small pieces
• The coconut pieces were blanched at 95⁰C for
5minutes
• The fresh and blanched pieces of coconut
were weighed for 150g. It is normal and
vacuum packed in HDPE and LDPE packaging
material. The packed samples were stored in
ambient condition(i.e., room temperature)
and refrigerated condition(5-7⁰C)
Methods of analysis
• Moisture content was measured using hot air
oven method
• pH was measured using pH meter
• Titratable acidity was analysed by titration
method described by Ranganna(2009)
• Free fatty acid was determined as per FSSAI
• Microbial analyses was performed
Experimentation
• Fresh coconuts samples were packed in HDPE
by normal and vacuum package method
• These packs were stored in ambient condition
and refrigerated condition
• In each condition 5 packs of samples were
kept for analysing at regular interval
Data:
Fresh coconut
• Moisture content (%w.b) -48.66
• pH -6.4
• Titratable acidity (lauric acid g/l) -6.0
• FFA (%oleic acid) -0.7
• Microbial analysis (cfu) (yeast) - nil
DATA FOR UNBLANCHED SAMPLES
storage Normal Packaging
condition Ambient condition Refrigerated condition
Tests
done Day 5 Day 10 Day 15 Day 20 Day 5 Day 10 Day 15 Day 20
M.C.(%) 43 42.5 41.07 40.5 48.4 47.0 49.8 48.4
pH 6.4 6.05 5.65 5.32 5.88 5.65 5.63 5.60
T.A.(lauric 9.8 10.4 10.9 11.4 5.8 6.0 6.1 6.2
acid g/l)
F.F.A(%oleic 0.8 0.9 1.2 1.6 0.7 0.8 1.1 1.2
acid)
Microbial 5 5.7 6.3 7.1 Nil 2.1 2.5 3.6
analysis(log
cfu/ml)
yeast
Sensory Rancid Off spoile spoiled Good Good Rancid Off
analysis flavor and flavor d flavor flavor
color
change
storage Vacuum packaging
condition
Ambient Refrigeration
Tests Day 5 Day 10 Day 15 Day 20 Day 5 Day 10 Day 15 Day 20
Done
M.C.(%) 49.8 49.3 49.1 49 48.28 49.25 48.5 46.8
pH 5.88 5.75 5.62 5.56 5.88 5.84 5.73 5.62
T.A.(lauric 6.0 8.5 10.8 11.6 6.0 6.2 6.3 6.5
acid g/l)
F.F.A(%oleic 0.8 0.9 1.2 1.3 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.8
acid)
Microbial 4.0 4.3 4.8 5.3 Nil Nil 3.5 3.9
analysis(cfu)
yeast
Sensory Good Rancid Off spoiled Good Good Good Rancid
analysis flavor flavor flavour
DATA FOR BLANCHED SAMPLES
storage Normal Packaging
condition Ambient condition Refrigerated condition
Tests
done Day 5 Day 10 Day 15 Day 20 Day 5 Day 10 Day 15 Day 20
M.C.(%) 47.5 46.8 46.3 45.4 48.4 47.1 46.8 46.1
pH 5.7 5.64 5.37 5.04 5.88 5.65 5.5 5.21
T.A.(lauric 6.1 6.3 7.1 7.8 5.8 6.0 6.8 7.4
acid g/l)
F.F.A(%oleic 0.6 0.7 0.9 1.0 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.8
acid)
Microbial 4.0 4.5 5.2 6.1 Nil Nil 2.1 2.8
analysis(cfu)
yeast
Sensory Good moderate moderate Rancid Good Good Good moder
analysis flavor ate
storage Vacuum Packaging
condition Ambient condition Refrigerated condition
Tests
done Day 5 Day 10 Day Day 20 Day 5 Day 10 Day 15 Day 20
15
M.C.(%) 48.2 49.5 49.3 49.0 46.28 47.25 48.5 47.8
pH 5.80 5.56 5.31 5.10 5.88 5.70 5.65 5.63
T.A.(lauric 6.2 6.8 6.9 7.0 6.2 6.6 6.8 6.9
acid g/l)
F.F.A(%oleic 0.6 0.6 0.8 0.9 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.6
acid)
Microbial 3.2 3.6 3.9 4.1 Nil Nil 2.0 2.3
analysis(cfu)
yeast
Sensory Good Good Good moderate Good Good Good Good
analysis
Normal packed sample at 10 th Normal packed sample at 15 th
day at ambient day at refrigerated
INFERENCE
• From the experiment, it was found that the un-
blanched samples stored at refrigeration has shelf
life of 10days while the shelf-life of the samples
stored at ambient condition was limited to 2days.
• Blanched samples stored at refrigeration and
ambient condition had shelf life of 20dys and 7
days respectively.
• Mean while vacuum packed samples had better
retention of freshness than the normal packed
samples.
CONCLUSION
• Shelf-life of coconut is strongly dependent on
temperature.
• Also blanching has significant influence on shelf-life.
• Blanching combined with low temperature storage and
vacuum packaging can increase the shelf-life of fresh
cut coconut up to 20days.
• Density of whole coconut is 1325kg/cubic meter while
density of fresh-cut coconut is 600kg/cubic meter
which makes it more economical for transportation.
• Since minimal processing techniques are employed it
could be economically feasible.
• Hence commercialization of fresh cut coconuts with
these minimal processing techniques is significant.
THANK YOU!!!
