Copra
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Copra (from
Production
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
---|---|
Energy | 354 kcal (1,480 kJ) |
24.23 (not the same as source listed) | |
Sugars | 6.23 |
Dietary fiber | 9 |
33.49 | |
3.33 g | |
Niacin (B3) | 3% 0.54 mg |
Pantothenic acid (B5) | 20% 1.014 mg |
Vitamin B6 | 3% 0.05 mg |
Vitamin C | 4% 3.3 mg |
Minerals | Quantity %DV† |
Calcium | 1% 14 mg |
Iron | 14% 2.43 mg |
Magnesium | 8% 32 mg |
Phosphorus | 9% 113 mg |
Potassium | 12% 356 mg |
Zinc | 10% 1.1 mg |
Other constituents | Quantity |
Water | 47 |
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[3] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[4] |
Copra has traditionally been grated and ground, then boiled in water to extract coconut oil. It was used by Pacific island cultures and became a valuable commercial product for merchants in the South Seas and South Asia in the 1860s. Nowadays, coconut oil (70%) is extracted by crushing copra; the by-product is known as copra cake or copra meal (30%).
The coconut cake which remains after the oil is extracted is 18–25% protein, but contains so much dietary fiber it cannot be eaten in large quantities by humans. Instead, it is normally fed to ruminants.[5]
The production of copra – removing the shell, breaking it up, drying – is usually done where the coconut palms grow. Copra can be made by smoke drying, sun drying, or
In India, small but whole coconuts can be dried over the course of eight months to a year, and the meat inside removed and sold as a whole ball. Meat prepared in this fashion is sweet, soft, oily and is cream-coloured instead of being white. Coconut meat can be dried using direct heat and smoke from a fire, using simple racks to suspend the coconut over the fire. The smoke residue can help preserve the half-dried meat but the process overall suffers from unpredictable results and the risk of fires.[7]
While there are some large
Economics
Copra production begins on coconut plantations. Coconut trees are generally spaced 9 m (30 ft) apart, allowing a density of 100–160 coconut trees per hectare. A standard tree bears around 50–80 nuts a year, and average earnings in Vanuatu (1999) were US$0.20 per kg (one kg equals 8 nuts)—so a farmer could earn approximately US$120 to US$320 yearly for each planted hectare. Copra has since more than doubled in price, and was quoted at US$540 per ton in the Philippines on a CIF Rotterdam basis (US$0.54 per kg) by the Financial Times on 9 November 2012.
In 2017 the value of global exports of copra was $145-146 Million. The largest exporter was Papua New Guinea with 35% of the global total, followed by Indonesia (20%), Solomon Islands (13%) and Vanuatu (12%). The largest importer of copra is the Philippines, which imports $93.4 Million or 64% of the global total.[8] A very large number of small farmers and tree owners produce copra, which is a vital part of their income.
Aflatoxin susceptibility
Copra is highly susceptible to the growth of molds and their production of aflatoxins if not dried properly. Aflatoxins can be highly toxic, and are among the most potent known natural carcinogens, particularly affecting the liver.[9][10] Aflatoxins in copra cake, fed to animals, can be passed on in milk or meat, leading to human illnesses.[11][12]
Animal feed
Copra meal is used as fodder for horses and cattle. Its high oil and protein levels are fattening for stock.[13][14] The protein in copra meal has been heat treated and provides a source of high-quality protein for cattle, sheep and deer, because it does not break down in the rumen.
Coconut oil can be extracted using either mechanical expellers or solvents (hexane). Mechanically expelled copra meal is of higher feeding value, because it contains typically 8–12% oil, whereas the solvent-extracted copra meal contains only 2–4% oil. Premium quality copra meal can also contain 20–22% crude protein, and <20ppb aflatoxin.[15]
High-quality copra meal contains <12% non-structural carbohydrate (NSC),
Shipment
Copra has been classed with
References
- ^ Ehrilch, Eugene, ed. (1982). Oxford American Dictionary.
- ^ Gove, Philip B., ed. (1961). Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. G. & C. Merriam.
- ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- )
- ISBN 978-92-5-100853-9.
- ^ "Hybrid Solar Dryer for Copra". Copra Indonesia.
- ^ Grimwood et al., 1975, p. 49–56.
- ^ a b Simoes, AJG; Hidalgo, CA. "OEC: The Observatory of Economic Complexity". oec.world. The Observatory of Economic Complexity. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
- PMID 23766719.
- PMID 20172840.
- ISBN 978-1-898486-52-7.
- .
- ^ "Cocos nucifera". Fao.org. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ "AFRIS – Animal feed Resources Information System". Fao.org. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ "Nutrient Specs – Stance Equine". Stanceglobal.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ [1] Archived 26 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "CoolStance Benefits – Stance Equine". Stanceglobal.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ^ "Copra". Tis-gdv.de. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
External links
- Is Copra potentially a horse killer? – Horsetalk.co.nz
- Copra linked to cancer-causing agent
- Not all copra created equal
- Making Coconut Oil – The Old Chamorro Way
- AFLATOXIN CONTAMINATION IN FOODS AND FEEDS IN THE PHILIPPINES, in Manual on the application of the HACCP System in Mycotoxin prevention and ... , Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- AFLATOXIN CONTAMINATION IN FOODS AND FEEDS IN THE PHILIPPINES, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.