Tittle:

The effect of pre-treatment methods towards the production of coconut oil

Name

Matric number

Nur Syafinas bt Aslan

D20141066905

Nur Syaliyana bt Abu Samah

D20141066904

Nur Liyana bt A.Razak

D20141066902

Nor Athirah bt Zalbador

D20141066901

Nurul Akma bt Yaziz

D20141066900

Abstract:
In production of coconut oil, an experiment has been conducted to see which pre-treatment is the
best to produce high quantity of coconut oil. For this experiment, we produce a virgin coconut oil
which is freshly extracted from coconut meat without chemical processes. Grated coconuts
undergo different pre-treatment: in the fridge for 24 hours, in room temperature, autoclave for 20
minutes and in the microwave in medium temperature for 10 minutes before being heated in 200
C-300 C. The highest quantity of coconut oil that have been produced is after being put in the
microwave. Coconut oil is important in many purposes and the best method to produce high
quantity of coconut oil is have to be known.
Keywords:
Different pre-treatment, production of coconut oil.
Objectives:
To compare four (4) pre-treatment methods that produce the highest quantity of coconut oil

Hypothesis :
Grated coconut that treated by using an autoclave machine will produce a high volume of
coconut oil

Material and apparatus :

500gm grated coconut , 800ml water, blender, 5000ml beaker, 1000ml beaker, spatula, filter, hot
plate, microwave, autoclave machine, small bottle
Procedure:
1) 500g of grated coconut is prepared.
2) For treatment 1, grated coconut is placed in room temperature.
3) For treatment 2, grated coconut is placed in microwave for 10 minutes in medium temperature.
4) For treatment 3, grated coconut is placed in the refrigerator for 24 hours at temperature of 13 C
5) For treatment 4, grated coconut is placed in the autoclave machine for 20 minutes.
6)

All the grated coconut which have been treated are blended then been squeezed to get the
coconut milk.

7) 800ml of water is added to each of the treated grated coconut.

8) Each of the coconut milk are cooked at 200-300 degree Celsius until the oil is produced.
9) Each of the coconut oil that produce from all four treatment are measured and the data is
recorded.

Result :
Types of pre-treatment on grated coconut

Mass (gram)

Room temperature

17.29

Fridge (13C )

2.38

Autoclave

36.75

Microwave

51.18

Discussion
The highest volume of coconut oil produced is after being microwaved. So, our hypothesis is
rejected. This result due to effect of heat to cholesterol within phospholipid bilayer. Cells of the
grated coconut are surrounded by a thin plasma membrane that provides cell structure. This
membrane comprises a lipid bilayer and proteins, and is the gatekeeper of the cell, controlling
what leaves and enters it. The lipid-bilayer is a two layered sheet containing phospholipid
arranged with their polar head and non-polar bodies. Cholesterol, long-chain fatty acids and
saturated fatty acids strengthen membranes but reduce lipid fluidity. Then, we make the teatment
to grated coconut by heat in microwave. In microwave processing, energy is supplied by
electromagnetic field. As we know, the microwave will heat the structure from inside to outside.
Means, the first target heat is the cells inside the grated coconut. Microwave oven cook food by
generating intermolecular friction between the molecules of the structure. The microwaves cause
water molecules to vibrate and this will increased friction between the molecules that will
results in heat. This heat make the cholesterol loosen from the phospholipid bilayer. It happends
when it gets very high in kinetic energy, so the bounds that hold the molecules at 35 celcius cant

hold it when it gets to like more heat than that. so, when we heat up the membrane, it gets less
contacted. So, it will be more lipid can through the layer due to easier to break the layer. So,
when higher temperature, there will loosen cholesterol bind to phospholipid bilayer and make
lipid can through easily.

References :
1.
Virgin

coconut

oil.

(n.d).

retrieved

on

December

4,

2015,

from

http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/what_is_virgin_coconut_oil.html
2.

How Microwave Cooking Works. (2000, March 31). Retrieved on December 6, 2015,

from http://home.howstuffworks.com/microwave.html
3.

The Truth About Coconut Oil Benefits. (n.d.). Retrieved on December 1, 2015, from

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/22/coconut-oil-and-saturated-fats-canmake-you-healthy.aspx
4.

Lipid

Bilayer:

Temperature

Effects

on

Composition.

http://bcs.whfreeman.com/WebPub/Biology/hillis1e/Interactive
%20Tutorials/it0501/it_0501_lipid_bilayer.html

(n.d.).

Retrieved

from

5.

Shilhavy, M. J., & Shilhavy , B. (2014, March 1). What Type of Coconut Oil is Best?

How to Choose a Coconut Oil. Retrieved from http://healthimpactnews.com/2014/what-type-ofcoconut-oil-is-best-how-to-choose-a-coconut-oil/

Team responsibility
Name

Responsibility

Nur Syafinas bt Aslan

Preparation, lab session, poster, report,

presentation

Nur Syaliyana bt Abu Samah

Lab session, poster, report, video, presentation

Nur Liyana bt A.Razak

Preparation, lab session, poster, report,

presentation

Nor Athirah bt Zalbador

Lab session, poster, report, video, presentation

Nurul Akma bt Yaziz

Preparation, lab session, poster, report,

presentation