EFFECTS OF SMALL-SCALE COCONUT OIL PROCESSING METHODS ON THE QUALITY AND YIELD OF OIL IN THE JOMORO DISTICT.

ABSTRACT

Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is an important cash crop in the economy of the people living in the coastal belt of Ghana, specifically Jomoro district in the Western region. Coconut oil is essential for its unique nutritional and economic purposes; which contain medium chain fatty acid and used for pharmaceutical purposes. The quality of coconut oil produced by the small-scale processors cannot be ascertained, as quality control measures and oil recovery cannot be strictly assured. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effects of different processing methods on the yield and quality of the coconut oil in the Jomoro district. The small-scale coconut oil processing industry in the district was studied to identify the processing methods practised. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 67 respondents. Four coconut oil processing methods were identified; traditional method with 1 day fermentation (TM1), traditional method with 2 days fermentation (TM2), traditional method with 3 days fermentation (TM3) and virgin oil method (VM). Small scale processors practised these traditional and virgin oil methods. These processing methods were employed to determine the oil yield per 100 nuts. Coconut oil samples were then taken from the various processing methods to determine the chemical qualities after processing and after 12 weeks of storage. The traditional method with 3 days fermentation constitute the major processing method practised (37.3%). This also recorded the highest oil yield after processing (52.59%) and there was a significant difference (p