Physicochemical characteristics of virgin coconut oil (VCO) from kopyor coconut (<i>Cocos nucifera</i> L.)

Abstract The kopyor coconut exhibits a genetic disorder where the flesh does not adhere to the shell but separates and mixes with the water. In Bogor, Indonesia, kopyor coconut production reaches approximately 4,000 fruits annually, leading to a surplus of frozen kopyor coconuts. While traditionally used as fresh drink additives, kopyor coconuts can also be processed into Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) due to their high content of short-chain saturated fatty acids, particularly lauric acid (37.93%–43.39%), which is a primary component of VCO. The physicochemical characteristics of VCO derived from kopyor coconuts were found to be comparable to those of ordinary coconuts. Kopyor coconut VCO had a water content of 0.23%, free fatty acid (FFA) content of 0.046%, yield of 1.23%, viscosity of 25.87 cP, and density of 0.917 g/cm 3 . In comparison, VCO from ordinary coconuts showed a water content of 0.09%, FFA content of 0.039%, yield of 5.50%, viscosity of 30.34 cP, and density of 0.918 g/cm 3 . These results suggest that while kopyor coconut VCO shares many similarities with conventional VCO, further research and optimization are needed to meet the VCO quality standards outlined in SNI No. 7381-2008.