The Physicochemical and Nutritional Analysis of Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera) Extracted from the Tall Tree Variety

Aims: Coconut (Cocos nucifera) known as the ‘tree of life’ is an ancient fruit belonging to the palm family Arecaceae family and the only species in the genus Cocos. This study aims to characterize and show the nutritional qualities of coconut oil from the tall tree variety.

Methodology: The production methods include natural Fermentation, centrifugation, freeze-thawing, and solvent extraction. In physical and chemical properties, the moisture content, impurity, specific gravity, refractive index, oil yield, flash, fire, smoke point, melting point, thiobarbituric acid number, saponification, peroxide, iodine, and fatty acid value were analyzed and all fall within close ranges.

Results: The fat-soluble vitamins ranged from 18.65 ± 5.09 (vitamin A), 4.28 ± 0.68 (vitamin E), 4.11 ± 3.11(vitamin D) and 1.03 ± 0.21 (vitamin K) all in mg/100ml. Mineral analysis shows that coconut oil contains calcium, zinc, and iron with concentrations of 2.53 ± 0.23, 1.21 ± 0.19, and 0.53 ± 0.13 in mg/100ml respectively. Fatty acid analysis shows that coconut oil contains lauric, myristic, palmitic, caprylic, oleic, capric, stearic, linoleic, and caproic acid of which lauric acid was the highest with a range of 48.40 ± 0.23.

Conclusion: The result shows that coconut is a good source of nutrients and the fatty acids make it a good moisturizer.