In industrial production,
Coconuts oil processing typically follows two main pathways:
Wet Method (Fresh Coconut Meat → Coconut Milk → Centrifugation → Virgin Coconut Oil / VCO): High-end, cold-pressed, and retains natural aroma and nutrients.
Dry Method (Fresh Coconut Meat → Dried Copra → Pressing → Refined Coconut Oil / RBD): High yield, low cost, colorless and odorless; primarily used in the food industry.
I. Raw Material Pre-treatment (Fresh Coconuts)
Selection: Mature, aged coconuts (brown shells, thick meat); reject cracked or moldy fruits.
De-shelling and Meat Extraction:
Mechanical de-shelling → Halving → Meat scooping → Skin removal (removing the brown testa to prevent astringency and discoloration).
Washing / Grinding: Wash coconut meat → Slice / Shred → High-speed grinding into coconut slurry (particle size: 0.5–2 mm).
II. Coconut Milk Extraction (Key Step)
Screw Press: Continuously squeeze the coconut slurry to extract concentrated coconut milk (oil content: 25–35%); the remaining coconut residue (moisture content: ~50%) can be processed into animal feed or coconut flour.
Parameters: Pressure 80–120 bar; Temperature ≤ 40°C (low temperature preserves aroma).
Filtration: Filter the coconut milk using a vibrating screen or plate-and-frame filter press to remove fine solids, yielding a clear emulsion.
III. Centrifugal Separation (Industrial Core)
Three-Phase Centrifuge (Cream Separator):
Heat the coconut milk to 40–50°C (to reduce viscosity) → High-speed centrifugation (6000–10000 rpm).
Separation into three layers:
Top Layer: Coconut Cream (Oil Phase; oil content ≥ 90%)
Middle Layer: Skimmed Coconut Milk (Aqueous Phase; can be spray-dried into coconut flour)
Bottom Layer: Solid Residue (Proteins / Fibers)
Secondary Centrifugation: Further refine the coconut cream using a disc-stack centrifuge to obtain crude coconut oil (raw VCO). IV. Demulsification and Drying (Water Removal)
Low-Temperature Heat Demulsification: Jacketed kettle / Plate heat exchanger; short-duration heating at 85–95°C to break the emulsion and evaporate moisture down to ≤0.2%.
Vacuum Drying (High-End Lines): 60–70°C at -0.08 to -0.1 MPa; low-temperature dehydration to preserve a higher content of active ingredients (e.g., lauric acid, Vitamin E).
V. Filtration and Refining (Optional)
Precision Filtration: Plate-and-frame filtration followed by 0.1–0.5 μm membrane filtration to remove trace impurities and suspended solids.
Refining (RBD—commonly applied only to dry-process oils):
Neutralization (removal of free fatty acids) → Bleaching (decolorization using activated carbon/bleaching earth) → Deodorization (removal of odors via high-temperature steam) → Colorless, odorless refined oil.
Fresh coconut wet-process VCO is typically not refined; it undergoes only filtration and drying.
VI. Bottling and Storage
Sterile Environment → Light-blocking, sealed drums/bottles → Room temperature (below 25°C) or refrigerated storage; shelf life: 12–24 months.
VII. Core Equipment List (Wet Process)
Coconut Splitting Machine, Coconut Meat Scooping Machine, Peeling Machine
High-Speed Pulverizer, Screw Press (for coconut milk extraction)
Vibrating Screen, Plate-and-Frame Filter
Three-Phase Centrifuge, Disc Centrifuge
Vacuum Dryer / Jacketed Heating Vessel
Precision Membrane Filter, Aseptic Filling Machine
VIII. Key Parameters (Industrial Reference)
Moisture Content of Fresh Coconut Meat: 50–55%
Oil Content of Coconut Milk: 25–35%
Centrifugation Temperature: 40–50°C
Final Moisture Content (Post-Drying): ≤0.2%
Oil Yield: Fresh coconut meat → VCO: approx. 18–22%; Copra (dried coconut) → Refined Oil: approx. 35–40%. IX. Wet Process vs. Dry Process (Fresh Coconut)
Wet Process (VCO): Extracted directly from fresh coconuts using low temperatures and no chemical refining → Naturally aromatic, retains nutrients, higher cost (Skincare / Premium Culinary Use).
Dry Process (RBD): Fresh coconuts are dried into copra before pressing → High yield, low cost, odorless and colorless (Baking / Frying / Industrial Use).
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