EntrePinoys Atbp.

The coconut tree as a “tree of life” is characteristically a food supplier as this tree provides fruit throughout the year. The fruit is edible at any stage of maturity. It provides not only solid food but also a large volume of very safe and healthy drinking water. (click photo to enlarge)

The fruit of the coconut palm is the main source of many food products such as coconut milk/cream, desicated coconut, coconut chip, coconut water, nata de coco, coconut oil, and copra. Apart from these, the unopened inflorescence can produce coconut sap or toddy which can be processed into high value and nutritious food products

Coconut sap, the sweet exudate from the tapped unopened spath or inflorescene of coconut, is a versatile food products because of its many uses. It could be marketed as an alcoholic drink (4-5% alcohol) locally known as “tuba” or coconut wine; as vinegar (under further natural fermentation) or as “lambanog” or distilled wine (24-45% alcohol). The sap can also be processed to sap juice/drink, syrup or honey, crude sugar or granulated brown sugar.

COCONUT SAP JUICE

1. Pasteurize the sap for 10 minutes at 65°C (to prevent natural fermentation).
2. Pour separately in the desired container.
3. Seal tightly and place in the cool section of the refrigerator freezer if the juice is to be transported to consumers in distant places.
4. If hygienically prepared, the juice can be stored for 3 days.

COCONUT HONEY OR SYRUP

1. Boil the sap until it reaches 110°C or becomes sticky under moderate to very low heat.
2. Cool the sticky liquid or coco honey/syrup, then pour into desired container.
3. Store in the refrigerator to prolong shelf life (up to one year without deterioration).

COCONUT SUGAR

1. Boil coco sap to evaporate the water under moderate heat with occasional stirring until sap thickens at 115°C.
2. Remove it from the flame when it begins to become very sticky.
3. Continue mixing until it becomes granular.
4. Air dry the brown sugar before packing. The pH of coconut sap should be at level >/=6 to ensure successful production of granulated coconut sugar.

One kg of coconut sap sugar can be derived from 2 gallons or 7-8 liters of sweet fresh coco sap. Coconut sugar is mostly used for cooking desserts and curries and some for raw material of food industries (e.g. confectionery)

COCONUT VINEGAR

1. Pour harvested sap into a wide large container. Cover with a clean netted cover to allow aeration and prevent entrance of dirt and foreign objects.
2. After 10 day-fermentation period in a well-ventilated room, harvest the coconut sap as vinegar.
3. Pasteurize vinegar by heating for 5-10 minutes at 60-65°C to maintain the desired quality (at least 4% acidity) of the vinegar.
4. Allow to cool before placing in a very clean bottles and then cover tightly the seal. The coco sap vinegar is very good ingredient in pickled papaya, as a dip for chicharon and other snack and food preparations.

For more info, contact:

PCARRD, Los Banos, Laguna
Tel: 049-536-0015 to 20
Fax: 049-536-0016/536-7922
Email: pcarrd@pcarrd.dost.gov.ph
Web: pcarrd.dost.gov.ph

source: pcarrd.dost.gov.ph, photo from simply-thai.com, aspoonfulofsugar.net, 21food.com, stores.najos.com

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