What are the different methods of processing Coconut Oil that may affect the quality, appearance, flavor, aroma of the finished product?
Coconut Oil is commonly divided into two broad categories – “refined, bleached and deodorized” (RBD) and “virgin”. The difference between the two is in the amount of processing the oil undergoes. The term “virgin” is not an official classification; it simply signifies an oil that has been subjected to less intense refining –lower temperatures and no chemicals. The RBD oil is typically made from dried coconut, known as copra, which is made by drying coconut in the sun, smoking it, heating it in a kiln, or some combination of these. Oil made from copra is the most common coconut oil used in the cosmetic and food industries. While high temperatures and chemical solvents are used to produced this oil, it is still considered a healthy dietary oil because the fatty acids in coconut oil are not harmed in the refining process. Most virgin coconut oils are made from fresh coconuts, not copra. The oil is extracted by any number of methods: boiling, fermentation, refrigeration, mechanical press,
