Our new factory at Kallarpe (Aryapu Village, Puttur) manufactures Roasted Coconut Oil. Our new customers have instantly liked it because of its enhanced aroma and taste. But our old customers who have used cold-pressed coconut oil manufactured at our old factory in Parladka (Puttur) have various doubts about it. I seek to clear those doubts here.

Cold Press Coconut Oil
Virgin Coconut Oil is many times referred to as Cold Press Coconut Oil. Virgin Coconut Oil is extracted from fresh Coconut. But, here we refer to oil extracted from Copra (dried Coconut).

Copra with about 8% moisture is crushed as it is on a Rotary Machine (Chuck/Ghana). Oil is filtered through sedimentation of solid particles for 7 days in settling tanks. The process is extremely simple and requires minimum capital investment.

The resulting oil has a crystal clear transparent colour and smells and tastes like Copra as it is. Many people like this as it is considered to be natural and local made product.

Roasted Coconut Oil
Copra is cut into small pieces and dried using hot air to about 5% moisture level. This Copra is heated for about one hour on a multi-stage steam-jacketed vessel for roasting. A bit of steam is also added to Copra for cooking. This opens up the fat cells and helps in easy oil extraction. Oil is then filtered using a Pressure Leaf Filter and Filter Press to remove sediments when oil is extracted. This process requires more capital investment for a Steam Boiler, Pipeline, and Cooker with an Agitator and Motor. It also has higher running costs in fuel for steam generation and power.

The resulting oil has a golden yellow color. It has a stronger smell and taste. It has just the same effect as what roasted Ground Nuts give.

During processing, the temperature of oil and oil cake rise up to 100 degrees, while in cold pressed it is only about 60 degrees. In the process the oil loses moisture and reduces the risk of going rancid. Copra gets sterilized as the bacteria and fungus die, which again prolongs shelf life.

At higher temperatures, triglycerides in other oils start breaking into free fatty acids causing rancidity. But Coconut Oil being mostly Saturated Fat and is quite stable. So, roasting does not deteriorate the quality of oil.

Hair Oil manufacturers prefer Roasted Oil for its stronger smell and longer shelf life. It has a 5% premium in the bulk oil market over Cold Pressed variety. But we are selling at the same price to consumers now. It is something new to them here in Dakshina Kannada market and not yet fully accepted. We have been working hard in educating them about this new variety.

Despite so much of difference they are still the same i.e. Coconut Oil. Both of them are made from the same quality of Copra; they have the same chemical composition, and both have the same miraculous health benefits as coconut oil.

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