An overview of factors that affected in quality of virgin coconut oil

Abstract

There were some factors that affected of virgin coconut oil (VCO) quality. There was a raw material condition, the process to make VCO, packaging of VCO, and storage condition. For raw material condition, some differences in the chemical and quality properties of VCOs produced using different coconut varieties. This variety affects the iodine value and the fatty acid composition of the VCO samples. In saponification value, free fatty acids (FFA), peroxide value, and moisture content, the variety of coconut used did not affect. Phenolic contents of VCO also vary with the endosperm composition of coconut. There were many methods to produce VCO. Even if the whole process is different from one another, VCO did not differ significantly from each one and meets the standards. The fresh-dry method obtained the highest oil recovery, but the fermentation method resulted in a superior VCO quality. Among the packaging material studied, the best protection against VCO oxidation was provided by metallic polyester and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The heat has significantly reduced the stability of VCO for storage condition. This paper aims to describe factors that affect quality in the virgin coconut oil.