Identity sheet

A distinction must be made between extra-virgin coconut oil (made from the fresh flesh of the coconut) and coconut oil (made from the dried albumen).

Virgin coconut oil is unrefined, i.e. obtained by mechanically pressing fresh coconut flesh. Cold extraction preserves the oil's vitamins, saturated fatty acids and quality. No chemicals are used in its manufacture. Virgin coconut oil is a veritable white gold with appreciable benefits when it comes to making cosmetics.
Copra oil is obtained by pressing dried coconuts. Waste from the production of virgin coconut oil is often used to produce this oil. Drying is usually carried out in the sun, exposing the fruit to pollution and allowing mold to develop. The oil produced after pressing is brown and doesn't smell very good. Its appearance is far from what consumers expect, so it is refined with chemicals to remove mold, make it transparent and deodorize it. Copra oil loses most of its nutrients, and therefore some of its benefits, as a result of this treatment and the high temperatures at which it is heated. As a result, coconut oil no longer benefits from all the advantages of virgin coconut oil, and is extremely polluting for the environment.

🚜 Production chain

The copra oil production process comprises the following stages:

Harvesting: Ripe coconuts are harvested from coconut palms.
Hulling: The outer shells of the coconuts are removed to reveal the inner pulp.
Drying: The pulp is then dried in the open air, in the sun or in special dryers until it reaches a moisture content of around 6% to 8%. This dried pulp is called copra.
Extraction: The copra is then crushed or pressed mechanically to extract the oil. This process can be carried out hot or cold, with or without the use of chemical solvents.

📈 Production & consumption

Global production of coconut oil is relatively lower than that of other vegetable oils such as palm oil, soybean oil or sunflower oil. It is mainly produced in tropical regions where coconut palms are grown, notably in Asia, Africa and the Pacific islands.

Although it provides a livelihood for 10 million small-scale growers over several million hectares, the coconut industry is facing a number of difficulties: copra's loss of competitiveness, competition from palm kernel oil, and the development of lethal diseases capable of wiping out coconut plantations in just a few years.

<aside> 🌎 The main producers of coconut oil are India and Indonesia.

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🍳 Derived ingredients & uses

Copra oil is commonly used in the food industry for cooking, baking and confectionery. It is also used in cosmetics, such as soaps, body lotions and hair products, due to its moisturizing and nourishing properties for skin and hair.

This oil has many mechanical properties, including the ability to remain in a solid state up to a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.