The effect of microwave heating on quality properties of coconut oil
Rita Khathir (a*), Sri Hartuti (a), Yunita (b), Akbar Rizki Maulana (a), and Anita (a)

a) Program Studi Teknik Pertanian Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Syiah Kuala
b) Program Studi Ilmu Biologi Fakultas MIPA Universitas Syiah Kuala
*) rkhathir[at]unsyiah.ac.id

Abstract

The coconut oils were produced by using fermentation method and 2 types of oil were collected i.e. fermented virgin coconut oil (FVCO) and fermented coconut oil (FCO). The study aimed to observe the quality properties of coconut oil under microwave heating. Two experiments were conducted separately- the first experiment was heating FVCO at 4 exposure time level of 0, 2, 6, and 18 minutes, and the second experiment was heating FCO at 4 power levels 0, 300, 450 and 600W. The first level of each treatment, untreated sample, was used as a control and all experiments were run in 3 replications. The parameters observed were temperature, moisture content, free fatty acid, and peroxide value. Results showed that the exposure time had influenced the temperature, free fatty acid and peroxide value of FVCO significantly. In one hand, the power level of microwave heating had influenced the temperature, moisture, and peroxide value of FCO. It can be concluded that the microwave heating still cannot be used to improve the quality both of FVCO and FCO since the increase of power level and exposure time had caused the increase of moisture content, free fatty acid and peroxide value. Further study is recommended to find out the best combination of volume, power and exposure time in using microwave application for clarifying the coconut oil.

Keywords: Microwave heating- Fermentation- Coconut oil- Quality

Topic: Food Processing and Packaging