King coconut - The golden nut of Sri Lanka

Abstract

King coconut (Cocos nucifera), a variety of coconut that is native to Sri Lanka. King coconut water is one of the fastest growing export commodities in Sri Lanka during the last decade. Rich nutritional profiles of sugars, vitamins, minerals and amino acids with profound therapeutic values have made king coconut water a popular functional beverage worldwide. This paper highlights the importance of optimum pre-harvest factors (variety, maturity) along with systematic processing, packing, transporting and storage; to maintain a consistent quality of the king coconut water.