Organic Certification For The VCO In Indonesia, Is It Possible?

Although almost all the coconut plantations in Indonesia were never fertilized with chemical fertilizers, but it is difficult to obtain organic certification, why? This is because the location of coconut plantation is generally adjacent to agricultural land use chemical fertilizers and various pesticides that coconut plantation will be exposed to its influence.Location of coconut plantation is quite far from agriculture is likely to be found outside the island of Java, while Java is almost non-existent.

Organic certification that requires for certifying of plantation as raw material sourse and its production processes VCO aspect, will generally be constrained to issue plantation as be described above. Of course this will be very difficult for VCO producers in Indonesia especially in Java who have buyers who require organic certification as above.

Raw Material Is The Key Factor in VCO Production

Although various methods or processes have been developed by different parties, but the quality of raw material  (coconut fruit)  is a key factor to obtain a quality VCO. It means that the ability to select materials that will make the quality of the resulting VCO will be stable. Old coconut fruit with certain varieties and where the growth will mainly determine the levels of lauric acid content.

The reliable VCO manufacturer certainly has a strong sense to make the selection of raw materials. Some cases show that to obtain a quality VCO is not easy especially for a large quantity. This is because of the availability of raw materials, production processes and markets as the main variable of this business. Some VCO manufacturers capable of producing quality VCO marked especially by the delicious smell like fresh coconut and high lauric acid content, but the quantity is not much that if there is a large quantity order will be trouble.

VCO Is An Exclusive Product

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Although it has been known for a long time and proved to have many benefits and advantages, still VCO is an exclusive product.  This indicated that the industry community has not been widely used VCO as a raw material. This happens because most of the industry is oriented towards the middle, as the majority of the population who have the purchasing power of a product. When using the VCO as raw material, the quality of their products will increase but the consequence will also increase the price of the product prices.

If the public awareness of the importance of a quality product increase then automatically VCO-based products will be preferred. The good quality VCO  as raw material as well as being one of the determinants of product quality.

Avoid Fermentation To Improve The Quality of VCO

Currently there are many methods for producing VCO. Basically, all methods can be used as long as itis capable of producing a high quality product VCO.  Economic considerations are another factor related to its business activities.

One of parameters of the VCO quality is lauric acid content. High levels of lauric acid come from good raw materials and good manufacturing processes. Good raw material comes from an old coconut fruits that indicated with blackish brown husk  and dark brown shell, thick and hard. The flesh is also much thicker than the young coconut fruits.

While good process is indicated by the maintained important contents in the VCO and remain economically viable. One of the problems in the process of manufacturing  VCO is the fermentation that causes lauric acid content is low. Fermentation is due to non-sterile production process, including raw materials used, the means of production and the environment.

In many cases the traditional industry is difficult to produce quality VCO due to lack of knowledge onhygiene factors and the production process. So as to avoid fermentation, it is necessary to make the production process as sterile as possible. If the process has been performed in sterile and produce VCOwith high lauric acid content, the next process is the usual purification, the lower the moisture content up tothe allowable level (typically <0.1%).

High quality VCO will provide optimum benefit for you. So before you eat them thoroughly first the VCO products, because not all VCO have the same quality.

VIRGIN COCONUT OIL HAILED AS CURE FOR ALZHEIMER’S

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After previous claims as an antiseptic, AIDS cure, anti-infective, cholesterol-basher, and remedy for various aches and pains, coconut oil is now being hailed as a possible miracle cure for Alzheimer’s.

The American physician, who has been dubbed “Dr. Coconut” for his tireless research into and championing of coconut oil’s healing properties, is back in the country bringing the latest breakthrough in the management of Alzheimer’s and other neurological conditions. the ongoing 10th Coconut Festival in Mandaluyong City, relating the remarkable recovery of Steve Newport, 58, from five years of progressive dementia after just 35 days of taking virgin coconut oil (VCO).


Fife has written all about it in his book, “Stop Alzheimer’s Now.”

Newport’s case history 


Newport was diagnosed when an MRI scan showed his brain had shrunk, a classic case of Alzheimer’s disease, the progressive, degenerative form of dementia that involves the loss of brain functions and extreme behavioral changes.

Newport’s wife Mary, who is a neonatal doctor at Spring Hill Regional Hospital in Florida, then began a relentless quest to seek a cure that would arrest his deterioration. “It has been a nightmare to watch his decline and I feel helpless to do anything but watch it happen,” said Mary.

In May 2008, Mary stumbled on a company that was enlisting volunteers to test a new drug for dementia-stricken patients. But like all experimental drugs, the company preferred subjects with moderate forms of the disease, based on how they scored in the MMSE (mini-mental state exam), a standard test of mental status used to screen for Alzheimer’s. Newport took the test twice and failed.

He scored too low, shown to be on the border of severe dementia, to qualify as an experimental subject. Mary was devastated.

MCT miracle ingredient 

Possessed of a research background, Mary was able to dig up the results for the new drug called AC-1202 (later known as Axona). She learned from the journal, BMC Neuroscience, that the active ingredient in the drug was MCT (medium-chain triglycerides), an oil that is used to treat epilepsy and also placed in hospital feeding programs for newborns.


Bingo! She knew as a pediatrician that babies needed to develop their brains with the right brain foods and MCT was found in great quantities in VCO, the oil extracted from the fresh meat of coconuts. Intuitively, she started Newport on a feeding program. Instead of using Axona at $100 per month with 1 dose a day, Mary used VCO—at a cost of $10 a month—giving him 2 tablespoons of a mixture of VCO and its pharmaceutical isolate, MCT, with every meal.

Because of the high amounts of saturated fat in this diet, some have expressed concern about how this could affect blood cholesterol levels. According to Fife, Newport’s tests have dispelled this notion and in fact his cholesterol levels have actually improved with the good cholesterol (HDL) going up and the bad cholesterol (LDL) going down.

In 18 months, Newport’s severe dementia was totally arrested. He scored high enough in the MMSE tests to be considered to be in the mild range of Alzheimer’s.

Tale of hope, persistence

Inspired by her husband’s recovery, Dr. Mary Newport travels all over the United States telling her story of hope and persistence. She encourages the medical scientific community to keep on with their research into the use of MCTs as a therapeutic aid in treating Alzheimer’s, as well as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders.

In March 2009, the experimental drug AC-1202 was renamed Axona and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a medical food for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease with no therapeutic claims. When Axona finally came out, it caused intestinal distress and diarrhea among some patients. Others reported that the drug’s effects wore out after only a few hours that they still had to take coconut oil to maintain their ketone levels. Ketones are organic compounds that result when body fat is broken down for energy.


Fife explained that drugs become ineffective after some time and coconut oil, converted into ketones, decrease the formation of free radicals that damage the cells. Hence, coconut oil is especially important for those taking medications. “Following the Newport’s’ example, many people with neurologic disorders are now incorporating coconut oil into their diets with good results,” said Fife.

Brain food

He said if any food could be labeled as brain food it would be coconut oil. According to Fife, coconut oil, converted into ketones, acts as a superfuel to the brain and normalizes brain function, stops the erratic signal transmissions that leads to seizures, and improves cognition and memory.

The MCTs in coconut oil are converted into ketones, which act as high-potency fuel for the brain. The ketone MCTs provide energy to the brain and stimulate healing and repair, he said. The chemical structure of the MCTs and fatty acids in coconut oil enable them to pass through the blood-brain barrier, which ordinary food or oil cannot break into, he said.

Revived coco industry


Fife credits his visits to the Philippines as triggering his pursuit of coconut research. He said his first visit in 2004 was an eye opener for him. He was amazed at the warm reception he got from his Philippine audience. “They were thanking me for reviving the coconut industry,” he said.

It was the economic implications for the people that have spurred Fife to continue his research into the health benefits of this tropical food endemic to the country, so much so that the American health community has dubbed him “Dr. Coconut.”

Fife has established a nonprofit organization, Coconut Research Center, to educate the public on the health and nutritional aspects of coconut. He has documented his researches in two books, “Coconut Cures”

(2005) and “Coconut Water” which he has made available online in www.coconutresearchcenter.org.

The author has been active in the coconut industry for 35 years, and is a Director of the Philippine Coconut Authority governing board. (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net)

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.