Coconut - Tropical and Subtropical Fruits: Postharvest Physiology, Processing and Packaging - page 168

resistance against HIV-AIDS (Dayrit, 2000); however,
more studies are needed in this area.
Coconut oil possessing a high content of MCT in its
molecular structure gives it some useful functional proper-
ties as well. Unlike most of the conventional saturated fats,
coconut oil does not exhibit gradual softening with increas-
ing temperature, but passes rather abruptly from a solid to
liquid within a narrow temperature range. The most impor-
tant advantage of this rapid melt down of coconut oil is the
fact that it occurs below the physiological temperature of
the human body. This feature makes coconut oil as a useful
fat ingredient for many confectionery products.

value is in its kernel. As the kernel of coconut is composed
of oil, proteins, carbohydrates, and a series of vitamins and
minerals, it is a wholesome food that can play a major role in
the human diet as well as serve as a raw material for many
food industries. Coconut is also the source of a healthy
drink. When harvested in its tender form (7-8 months
of maturity), it can produce a natural beverage to quench
thirst as well as provide instant energy.

REFERENCES
Anon. 1998. The Annual Report of the Coconut Research Inst
of Sri Lanka for Year 1998 . Sri Lanka: Coconut Research
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Anon. 2006. Processing of coconuts into quality copra. Ind
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APCC [Asian and Pacific Coconut Community]. 2010. Home-
page. http://www.apccsec.org/ .
Arumughan C, Balachanran C, Jayalakshmy A, Sathvathy,
Thomas P. 1987. Technology of coconut cream—how im-
portant is it in India's economy. Ind Coco J 18: 3-11.
Babayan VK. 1987. Specialty lipids and their biofunctionality.
Lipids 22: 417-20.
Baensch W, Yalegama LWC, Jayasundera JMMA. 2004. New
technologies of coconut processing: Part II—Process for
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coconut flour from coconut kernel. In: Peiris TSG, Ranas-
inghe CS, editors. Proceedings of the International Coconut
Conference 2004. Lunuwila, Sri Lanka: Coconut Research
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Batugal P, Bourdeix R. 2005. Conventional coconut breeding.
In: Pons B, Rao RV, Oliver J, editors. Coconut Genetic Re-
sources . Rome: Plant Genetic Resources Institute. p 251-61.
Bawalan DD, Chapman, KR. 2006. Virgin Coconut
Oil—Production Manual for Micro- and Village-Scale Pro-
cessing . Bangkok: FAO Regional Office. 112 p.
CDB [Coconut Development Board of India] 2010. Coconut
products. http://www.coconutboard.nic.in .
CODEX. 1991. STAN 177: Standard for Grated Desiccated
Coconut . Rome: CODEX Alimentarius Commission of
FAO/WHO.
Damodaran S. 1994. Structure-function relationship of food
proteins. In: Hettiarachchy NH, Ziegler GR, editors. Protein
Functionality in Food Systems . New York: Marcel Dekker.
p 1-37.
Dayrit CS. 2000. Coconut oil in health and disease—Its and
monolaurin's potential as cure for HIV/AIDS. Paper pre-
sented at XXXVII Cocotech Meeting, Chennai, India.
de Man JM. 1999. Carbohydrates. In: Principles of Food Chem-
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82.
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Defatted kernel residue
Since coconut flour from defatted coconut residue is a rich
source of dietary fiber, a great deal of research has gone into
its nutritional value. The carbohydrate part of the defatted
kernel residue is composed of soluble sugars as well as
insoluble fibrous matter (Table 9.8). In some instances,
the insoluble fibrous content of DCF was found to be as
high as 56% (Trinidad et al., 2001). The fibrous component
of the kernel residue is of particular interest due to many
beneficial health effects. As the fibrous component in the
diet is not degraded by the endogenous secretions of the
human dietary track, they may help to increase the bulking
capacity so as to ease the bowel movement (de Man, 1999).
As DCF is rich in dietary fiber, it may be incorporated
into food products formulated for management of diabetes
mellitus and obesity. Being a source of dietary fiber, DCF
might help to control the release of glucose. The effect
of different levels of dietary fiber from coconut kernel on
blood glucose and serum insulin levels has already been
investigated. It has been found that the intake of dietary
fiber might increase the hypoglycemic effect. With the in-
creasing proportion of fiber in the diet, there was a decrease
in blood sugar as well as a drop in the serum insulin levels.
The decrease in blood glucose is believed to be due to the
binding of glucose by the fiber, which subsequently results
in a decrease of insulin production by the pancreas (Rani
and Rajamohan 2006). Owing to the above nutritional val-
ues and health benefits, DCF is suitable for preparation
of fiber-rich biscuits, noodles, and snack foods (Marikkar
et al., 2007b, Gunathilake and Abeyrathne, 2008).

CONCLUSION
Coconut is a multifaceted perennial crop with numerous
uses for the mankind. It is mainly grown as commercial crop
in most of the countries in the tropics. Although every sin-
gle part of the tree can find some uses, its highest economic