THAI COCONUT OIL MANUFACTURER RIDES RESURGENCE AMONG HEALTHCONSCIOUS TO STRONG EXPORTS

Mistaken as an unhealthy oil for several decades, coconut oil has fought its way back into the hearts of health-conscious consumers as a nutritious food. The price of coconuts has risen from only a few baht each many years ago to a high of 27 baht per nut earlier this year, as a pest outbreak greatly diminished output.

No business is happier than Tropicana Oil Co, a producer of virgin coconut oil and the winner of this year's Prime Minister's Export Award under the OTOP Export Recognition category.

The company started its cold-pressed 100% coconut oil seven years ago by distributing through health-food shops. The market was small in the beginning but output has skyrocketed to 10,000 litres a month once consumers learned more about the properties of the product.

Tropicana Oil anticipates 60 million baht in sales this year from retailing its oil at 550 baht a litre along with several healthcare products using coconut oil as their main ingredient. The company targets 30% growth next year through expansion in both domestic and overseas markets.

Mr. Suradej Ninek, the Company's Managing Director, recalled that the road to success was a bumpy one as it took consumers a while to learn about the benefits of virgin coconut oil. The production process of many coconut oil crushers a decade ago was not well developed, casting doubt on quality. The first group to latch on to Tropicana Oil's product were health-conscious people over 45 who are educated and have purchasing power. Now a younger market is paying attention to coconut oil for beauty care.


Around 70% of sales are from the domestic market, where half consume it and the other half use it for beauty products. He noted the quality of the company's oil offers an advantage over other producers in Asia-Pacific and it will continue to focus on Russia, China and Japan where it has already established distribution networks. However, it will also expand more in Asean, particularly in Vietnam, in order to reap the benefits of the planned single market.

Tropicana Oil invested in getting its factory in Nakhon Pathom certified to meet Good Manufacturing Practice and HACCP standards. It also aims to achieve ISO 22000 guidelines next year.

"Word of mouth helped us survive in the beginning," said the native of the Tapi River Basin in Surat Thani province where coconut has been grown for centuries. Mr. Suradej is convinced coconuts from his hometown are of better quality than other parts of the country due to the fertile soil and brackish water there, so the company is willing to pay to transport about 100,000 coconuts a month from more than 100 planters on 1,000 rai of plantation. "Luckily transport costs are low as trucks that deliver goods to Southern provinces would return empty otherwise, so we get a reduced rate," he said.

Tropicana Oil also sells coconut byproducts, particularly shell that is used in the production of mosquito coils and powdered carbon. The price of coconuts has risen from only a few baht each many years ago to a high of 27 baht earlier this year, as a pest outbreak greatly diminished output. Coconuts are now 16-19 baht each, but may reach 25 baht if some traders stock coconut to manipulate its price.

"A whole coconut can be kept for 45 days after harvest, providing plenty of time to bet on the price," said Mr. Suradej. Mr. Suradej believes that R&D is the key to success in this field, leading his company tosign a 20-year Memorandum of Understanding to help fund students at the Faculty of Pharmacy of Silpakorn University to research how to add value to coconut oil, especially as an ingredient in beauty care and pharmaceuticals.

The Company also works with Rajabhat Nakhon Pathom to hold packaging contests to find the most suitable container for its products. (http://www.bangkokpost.com)

Business development of VCO in Indonesia

Almost all VCO producers in Indonesia have not made further purification of its product of VCO so that the selling price is still relatively cheap. Purify lauric acid will provide great added value for VCO producers in Indonesia. While the supply of VCO can be overwhelming, but without further purification, the abundance of supply will cause VCO price to become cheaper. Pharmaceutical needs of very large demand for lauric acid with high purity. This business will provide great added value. Entrepreneurial spirit and a great spirit of innovation needed to realize this.

Fine chemicals from the VCO is lauric acid. Purification VCO will produce lauric acid to near 100% purity and would increase the significant economic value. Pure Lauric acid is especially needed by manufacturers of baby food and pharmaceutical plants. Because, baby needs a high laurate to the body and brain growth. Indeed, lauric acid is found in breast milk but it represents only 3%.

While many pharmaceutical companies use it as an antiviral drug and bacteria. Fatty acid molecular weight of 200.32 was used as a surfactant or a binder in industrial soaps, detergents, and perfumes. In at least one bath soap contains 15% lauric acid. Antibacteria properties that make it more fatty acid application. Along with the development, lauric acid is also used in the insecticide industry, food, and beverages.

The benefits of lauric acid, among others, can kill various types of microbial origin cell membrane fatty acids (lipid coated Microorganism). Nature of lauric acid to dissolve the lipid membrane of the virus so that it will interfere with viral immunity. This will create a viral inactivation. Some diseases caused by these types of microbes such as HIV, hepatitis C, herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, Strepcocous sp., Stapilococus sp., Gram positive, gram negative, helicobacterpylory, and candida

Lauric fatty acids obtained by esterification of virgin coconut oil (VCO) or fractionation technology that separation of fractions. The content of the VCO described through the boiling point of each component making up the fraction. Virgin coconut oil inserted into fractionating tube with 5 mm Hg pressure and 45 C temperature. When the temperature was raised to 132 C, obtained 81.3% lauric acid and 18.9% myristic acid. Heating at that temperature did not damage the lauric acid of VCO. Therefore, this compound will be damaged when heated at a temperature of 306 C.

VCO with 50% content of lauric acid is the most widely used source. That's because coconut oil is more numerous and easier to make than other sources.

Lauric acid from palm kernel oil palm-like VCO, but only 2% rendement. As an illustration, to produce a liter of oil takes 50 kg or 2500 oil palm fruit. Therefore, using palm kernel oil as a source is expensive. Compare with a liter of VCO obtained from 10 coconuts.

In addition, other commodities containing lauric acid is Cuphea calophylla and C. viscosissima. Both are native to America and contains 85% lauric acid. Constraint at harvest must be picked by hand, so could not have become the raw material of industry.

Rapeseed canola are also new sources of lauric acid. Originally cabbage family- it has only a 0.02% lauric acid. However, by the researchers, the plant gene modified by recombinant DNA technology in 1997. Agrobacterium tumefaciens transformed into canola genes. Agrobacterium membrane has a gene codes for the production of lauric acid. As a result, canola now contains 38% lauric acid.

Monsanto, a biotechnology company in the United States who gave birth to a new canola, optimistic lauric acid canola boosted by 60%. If the dream come true, wishes do not always reap the lauric acid was based on virgin coconut oil. Perhaps security is questioned by some consumers. Is not GM products have always invited the pros and cons?

Recognizing these conditions, is certainly a big opportunity when the coconut tree that grows organically throughout Indonesia as a source of raw material lauric acid with huge potential.

Let's get started.

Common Problems when buying VCO from Community

The most common problem encountered when buying VCO from the community is, rancidity and high water content. Rancidity is a sign that the VCO has been damaged, the organoleptic not feel fresh. VCO damage from rancidity  is free radicals or free fatty acids that would be bad for the body's metabolism. Long contact between oil and water at the manufacturing process  also accelerate the oil rancidity. Bad packaging also resulted in these rancidity.

While high water content  will make the VCO looks cloudy, visible layer at the bottom of the pack and will accelerate the destruction of oil through the hydrolysis reaction. This high water content caused by phase separation of oil and water are not good, so much water from ending up on oil.

Only fresh VCO  is consumable and good for the health effect. Be careful to get good quality VCO. Select only VCO that has used modern technology to manufacture.

Modernization of VCO Industry in Indonesia

Organic VCO Plant

As the owner of the world's largest coconut plantation with coconut production number 2 after the Philippine, Indonesia needs to modernize its VCO Industry. While there are still many rural VCO is made by traditional tools and modern industry has not applied, then the steps to get there need to be initiated. Some common problems encountered in VCO production scale home industries are:
1.    Hygiene process. The use of simple tools and supporting materials such as water quality uncontrolled make good hygiene is difficult to achieve. In addition, the selection of such an unhealthy place close to the corral hygiene contributed to aspects of the production process VCO. The use of sterile water will greatly affect the hygiene of VCO.

2.    High water content contained in VCO products. High water content in oil can be easily damaged VCO made by hydrolysis.

3.    Production Capacity. To pursue the capacity of medium-and large-scale production of the continuity of raw materials and production unit in the form of adequate plant needs to be put in such a way. Upstream sector of the internsif coconut cultivation should be encouraged.

4.    Organic certification. Although he was almost certain that pure coconut trees in Indonesia as organic since there is no additional chemical fertilizers and other inorganic chemicals, but official certification is required. This is for the benefit of trust with business partners and the price of the VCO itself.

5.    Integrated industry. Coconut as a plant believed to all parts of life that can be exploited, so that the necessary efforts to increase the value added by making use of everything. Coconut water is used as raw materials nata de coco and recent research that the water from poor phase coconut oil can also be used for the manufacture of nata de coco, this means no water being dumped in the manufacture of VCO. Waste for animal feed and blondo for the biscuit.

Coconut shell is made charcoal or biochar by pyrolysis process  thus be further processed into briquettes and activated charcoal. Modern technology of this now available, with  continuous pyrolysis technology capacities from 20 tons / day - 200 tons / day of INPUT. For more information please visit at cmc-indo.blogspot.com

Coconut fiber (coco fiber) can be used as raw material for the manufacture of car seats and spring bed  because of a good fiber quality. The market is still very open, so there is no reason to ignore it. Waste production of coconut fiber that is coco dust  also can be made charcoal with continous pyrolysis technology  for making briquette (renewable energy application) , and with the excess heat used to dry the coco fiber at the process.

Let’s do it!

The New Health Oils for this Millenium: a bright future for an industry adapted from Jon J.Kabara, Ph.D

Never before in the history of man is it so important to emphasize the value of Lauric Oils. The medium-chain fats in coconut oil are similar to fats in mother’s milk and have similar nutriceutical effects.

Since that time monolaurin has found use in cosmetic, pharmaceuticals and in clinical medicine. Monolaurin as a dietary supplement  has shown extraordinary and exciting results as an antibiotic and as an antiviral agent.
The latter property against lipid coated viruses was first demonstrated by Hierholzer and Kabara more than sixteen years ago. Since that time our studies have been confirmed and extended by others. Literature references for the use of monolaurin are now appearing at an increasing rate showing application in dental cares, peptic ulcers, benign prostatic hyperplasia, genital herpes, hepatitis C as well as HIV/AIDS. After years of neglect by others I have finally convinced the medical community and now important clinical studies are finally increasing at a rapid pace.  

Kabara's prediction at an international conference of the American Oil Chemist Society(1995) that these tropical oil derivatives were going to be the new health oils for the next millennium is coming true. Not only does monolaurin have antibiotic and antiviral activity but also these remarkable derivatives have been
shown not to cause resistance organisms to appear.  In addition, it  has now been shown that monolaurin can reduce the resistance of germs to antibiotics.  

The medium chain fatty acids and monoglycerides found primarily in these two tropical oils and mothers milk have miraculous healing power.

Never before in recent times has  recognition of the positive health effects of  tropical oils been stronger. New and exciting health and industrial uses of monolaurin are available and predictable. Monolaurin derived from coconut and palm kernel oils suggest a bright future for an industry that was once referred to as a "sunset industry".  This means that the oil industry must move quickly to modernize itself in making  value added products from these oils which will  contribute to a more vigorous and healthy agriculture future.

HEALTH OILS FROM THE TREE OF LIFE (NUTRITIONAL AND HEALTH ASPECTS OF COCONUT OIL) adapted from Jon J. Kabara, Ph.D*

Coconut Tree

Coconut and palm tree has a long history of providing man with useful materials for his daily life. None is more important than the oils obtained from these coconut and palm nut. Coconut and palm kernel oils were recognized as health oils in Ayurvedic medicine almost 4000 years ago.


The same health effects were also found in Sanskrit medicine for mother’s milk. Mention was made that freshly expressed human milk was adopted as an "antibiotic" after eye surgery. Modern research has now found a common link between these two natural health products----their fat or lipid content.


For over thirty years Kabara's lipid laboratory has pioneered finding relationships between natural and synthetic lipids and their biological activity. Kabara indicated that the fatty acids and monoglycerides found in these two natural products had extraordinary antimicrobial properties.


Over a period of 30 years his teams screened other lipids hoping too improve on nature. During this period they screened some 300 lipids and other structures for antimicrobial activity.


His team failed and so Kabara returned to nature for clues. The medium chain fatty acids and monoglycerides found primarily in these two

Monolaurin

tropical oils and mothers milk have miraculous healing power. It is rare in thehistory of medicine to find substances that have such useful properties and still be without toxicity or even harmful side effects.


*Professor Emeritus, Michigan State University and Consultant to Private Industries,Universities and Government Agencies, Galena, Illinois, USA

How VCO control your body weight ? by Eko SB Setyawan

Virgin coconut oil known as oil that capable to slim body so that tend to to be liked by girls comprehending its benefit. Oil benefit which come from coconut fruit broader more than slim the body. Please read what is VCO? ( previous article), to know more benefit of VCO.

VCO content of high lauric acid ( until 53%), a saturated fat enchained ( with its carbon 12) which is ordinary to be referred as medium chain fatty acid alias MCFA. One kind of food which can improve metabolism even more than protein is virgin coconut oil. MCFA change metabolism to higher level, burning more calorie. This happened each time when eat MCFA, because MCFA improve number of metabolic, they represent fat which in fact can lose body weight. Fat losing body weight non adding it represent one very foreign concept, but that's really happened.
Saturated fat contain in virgin coconut oil useful to control body weight. Obesity have become to the health problem United States society, with 55 % of its people experience of the body overweight problem.

Obesity, heart disease, and osteoporosis is situations which result from lower body metabolism. To yield energi of carbohydrate, required insulin so that glucose can come into cell.

Many people have problem of insulin production when them become old so that its body find difficulties to obtain energy from carbohydrate. Glucose which do not or not yet been exploited for energy turned into triglyceride and circularized to entire body.

Trigliceride and lipoprotein have to penetrate cell wall so that can be used to become energy, and both also require enzyme to be able to penetrate membrane of mitokondria in cell, place of energy yielded.

But, MCFA have the unique, that is that it does not require enzyme to penetrate wall of mitokondria so that can yield energy swiftly and efficient. That is why there are people tell, consuming MCFA look like by fueling vehicle with high octan.
Because of easy MCFA permeated into cell then into mitokondria, metabolism even also mount. Addition of energy yielded by that metabolism yield stimulation effect in all our body.

Beside improve our energy level, there is other benefit along with make-up of that metabolism for example, make-up of endurance to disease and acceleration of disease healing. With make-up of metabolism, our cells work more efficient. They form new cells and also change damage cells faster Japanese Researcher, T Fushiki and K Matsumoto report that with consuming virgin coconut oil, body not only having bigger energy, but also have longer endurance.

In its usage virgin coconut can consume directly, or for cooking. With chemical structure which do not contain double bond, this oil have the character of to hold up to heat, light, oxygen, and hold up to degradation process. With nature of that, virgin coconut oil can be kept easily room temperature during through years.
VCO with Nutrition Value in one tablespoon (in 14 gr Oil) Contents of :
1 Calory 125 Kcal
2 Saturated Fat 12,5 gr
3 Polyunsaturated Fat 1 gr
4 Monounsaturated Fat 0,5 gr
Oil Composition :
1 Caprylic Acid 8,86%
2 Myristic Acid 19,97%
3 Capric Acid 6,17%
4 Palmitic Acid 7,84%
5 Lauric Acid 50,83%
6 Stearic Acid 3,06%

As biggest archipelagic country, Indonesia is the biggest coconut plantation ( Cocos Nucifera ) in the world with 3.712 million hectares width, what almost entirely is people plantation and represent income generator about two and a half million farmer families.

Author : Eko SB Setyawan, eko.sb.setyawan@gmail.com