Composition of Coconut Testa, Coconut Kernel and its Oil.

Testa, a by-product from the coconut processing
industry is getting wasted. A study was carried out to utilize
testa as a source of edible oil. The composition of the oils
from testa of wet coconut (WCT) and copra (CT) were
evaluated and compared with wet coconut whole, copra
whole, wet coconut white kernel and copra white kernel.
The samples had fat as a major component ranging from 34
to 63 %. Oils had 90–98.2 % triacylglycerols, 1–8 % diacylglycerols
and 0.4–2 % monoacylglycerols. The triacylglycerol
composition of oil from WCT had decreased
trilaurin and increased triolein. Lauric acid content of CT
was 40.9 % and WCT was 32.4 % whereas other oils were
50–53 %. Oils from testa were richer in monounsaturates
and polyunsaturates than other coconut oil samples. The
phenolics and phytosterols content were 0.2–1.9 % and
31–51 mg%, respectively. The total phenolic acids and
tocopherol content of oils from CT (313.9 lg%, 22.3 mg%)
and WCT (389.0 lg%, 100.1 mg%) were higher than other
samples (94.8–291.4 lg%, 2.5–6.7 mg%). These studies
indicated that the oil from coconut testa contained more of
natural antioxidants such as tocopherols, tocotrienols and
phenolics compared to coconut kernel oil and may confer
health benefits.