Abstract:
Defatted Desiccated Coconut Kernel (DDCK), a by-product generated during virgin coconut oil
production with proven health benefits. The present study was designed to develop a low-fat
beverage using coconut skim milk obtained from DDCK to increase consumer demand for non-dairy
milk alternatives. By product of DDCK was obtained from virgin oil processing plant at Coconut
Research Institute Sri Lanka and it was used to milk extraction with water addition. According to
preliminary sensory tests, cold water extraction with a 1:4 ratios after 1-hour soaking was favored.
Three types of beverages were formulated namely, Strawberry Flavored (SBF), Wood Apple Flavored
(WAF)) and Non-Flavored (NF) with three brix levels (11obx, 13obx, and 15obx). NF samples were
made with 3%, 5%, and 7% sugar levels, whereas flavored samples were made with 2.5% sugar with
fruit pulp. Each sample comprised 0.01% added salt. Three sensory tests were conducted using 30
untrained panelists. To the selected beverages, three levels (0%, 0.1%, and 0.15% w/v) of
carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were added followed by pasteurization (TEM) at 63oC for/30
minutes and 85oC for 7 minutes which were stored at bottles and stored in refrigerated temperature
4±2 oC. Beverages were tested for physicochemical and rheological properties, nutritional
composition, and microbial quality (One-month period). For the NF beverage, a significantly (p<0.05)
higher sum of the rank of overall acceptability was recorded at 13obx. Strawberry Flavored
beverages resulted in a significantly higher sum of ranks for mouth feel, aroma, and overall
acceptability at the 15obx level. All sensory attributes of WAF samples changed significantly (p<0.05)
with brix level, while the highest sum of rank values for all sensory attributes was at 15obx level. The
interaction of CMC concentration and TEM had a significant effect on the pH, lightness, viscosity, and
sedimentation index. According to the nutritional studies, significantly higher ash, and crude fat
contents resulted in the NF, while the total sugar and protein contents were significantly higher in
the WAF and SBF beverages, respectively. The treatments of 0% of CMC at 85oC/ 7 min, 0.15% CMC
at 63oC/30 min, and 0% CMC at 85oC/ 7 min were selected as the most suitable preservation
treatments for NF, SBF, and WAF, respectively. The highest microbial quality was observed in WAF
with 0% CMC at 85oC/ 7 min treatment. The beverages can be safely stored for one month under
refrigerated conditions.
