CMIC

From APCC Cocommunity Newsletter, December 2011

Using coconut milk is not a cumbersome or time consuming process anymore for those who want to include coconut in their regular diet.

Spray-dried coconut milk powder is now available in convenient and ready to use packs with the same freshness of fresh coconut milk. It has a longer shelf life and is convenient to use. This can be used in place of fresh coconut milk for food preparations / beverages in household and food industries by dissolving it in water. Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, India with the financial assistance of the Coconut Development Board (India) has developed the technology for spray dried coconut mi8lk powder which is available to entrepreneurs at a total know-how fee of Rs.5 lakhs. On an average, twenty thousand coconuts would yield about one tone of spray-dried coconut milk powder. Spray dried coconut milk powder has a tremendous market potential in India and in the international market.

The first step in the process is breaking the de-husked nuts into halves. The split nuts are de-shelled to separate the kernel. These two operations usually are done manually. Kernel is washed and then blanched by immersing in hot water at 80C for 10 minutes.

The next step is comminution (grinding) of the kernel into small gratings using a hammer mill. The gratings are subjected to pressing using continuous screw press to extract the milk. The coconut milk that is obtained is filtered by passing through a vibrating screen. The coconut milk is then homogenized and mixed with maltodextrins and other emulsifiers in an additive mixing tank. The milk mixed with additives is then spray-dried into a fine milk powder using a spray drier. The product is then packed in aluminum foil packets in various sizes as per customers’ requirements. (Indian Coconut Journal)