CHM144L Industrial Chemistry Laboratory

4th Quarter SY 2015-2016

Coconut Oil Extraction

De Jesus, Medarlo B.1, Benjamin, Zidrick Ed C.2
Professor, School of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biotechnology, Mapua Institute of Technology; 2Student (s), CHM144L/A42, School of Chemical Engineering,
Chemistry and Biotechnology, Mapua Institute of Technology
1

ABSTRACT
Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of mature coconuts harvested from the coconut palm. Coconut oil
is acquired from the meat of coconuts. Like other oils, coconut oil is a solution of fatty acids. This oil has many uses in
different fields of industry. One major use of coconut oil is food for human consumption. It is also used in fatty alcohols, soap
and detergents. Extraction of coconut oil can be done into many ways but they can be classified whether modern of traditional
method. Some of the methods used are aqueous processing, ram press, mechanical centrifuge, ghani extraction, expeller
method. The type of extraction used depends on the coconut oil extracted may be pure or requires additional refining
processes. The methods used in coconut oil extraction are aqueous processing, ram press, mechanical centrifuge, Ghani
extraction and expeller method. The purpose of this experiment is to be able to extract coconut oil. It also aims to know the
various types of extraction of oil and to determine the effect of temperature on the extraction of oil.The apparatus needed for
the experiment are beaker, stainless kettle, stirring rod, cheesecloth and hot plate. The chemicals used are grated coconut, and
water. The experiment is divided into two parts. One part is for the cold process of coconut extraction. On the other hand, the
second part is the hot process of coconut extraction.
Keywords:Coconut oil, Coconut Meat, fatty acids, aqueous processing, ram press, mechanical centrifuge, ghani extraction, expeller
method

INTRODUCTION
Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the
kernel or meat of mature coconuts harvested from the
coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). It has various applications.
Because of its high saturated fat content, it is slow to
oxidize and lasting up to six months at 24 C without
spoiling.
Coconut oil is acquired from the meat of coconuts.
Like other oils, coconut oil is a solution of fatty acids. This
oil has many uses in different fields of industry. One major
use of coconut oil is food for human consumption. It is also
used in fatty alcohols, soap and detergents.

Extraction of coconut oil can be done into

many ways but they can be classified whether modern
of traditional method. Some of the methods used are
aqueous processing, ram press, mechanical
centrifuge, ghani extraction, expeller method.
The Aqueous processing, in this method, water is
used to extract coconut oil. The oil is obtained by boiling the
water with coconut meat. The oil can be seen to escape
the meat and is separated with water. Through this we
can readily collect the sample oil because of the
difference in the boiling point of the water and oil.
Another method is ram press. In this method, the
coconut oil is pressed using blunt force created by a heavy

Experiment 04 Date: 05/25/2016

piston and metal tube. A hydraulic jack is used to power the

press and the oil is squeezed out of the tube and collected.
A mechanical centrifuge can be used to obtain virgin
coconut oil, which is considered to be one of the purest
forms. During this process, coconut meat is emptied into a
machine which chops the meat into tiny pieces. These little
pieces are placed into a light screw press and the milk is
extracted from the meat; then, the remaining coconut is
placed in a high speed mechanical centrifuge which rapidly
spins the coconut. Through the spinning process, the oil is
separated from the meat and collected. Mechanical
centrifuge coconut oil retains a strong coconut taste and
smell and requires no refining processes.
Ghani coconut oil extraction is a traditional method
that uses a giant pestle and mortar system to crush the
coconut meat. Today, mechanized Ghani extraction
systems are available, although traditional Ghani presses
powered by donkeys or horses are still in use. While Ghani
oil extraction results in a pure form of coconut oil, it is labor
intensive and collects less oil than methods mentioned
above.
Last method is expeller method. this method uses
mechanized barrel to create pulverized coconut meat
known as coconut cake. In this process, hexane is used to
separate coconut oil from the coconut cake.
In this experiment we are able to extract the oil from the
coconut which we experimented and determine the effect of

1 of 2

CHM144L Industrial Chemistry Laboratory

4th Quarter SY 2015-2016

the difference in temperature from the two different process

mainly hot and cold extraction.

Hot Process

Yellowish, clear

Stronger sweet
coconut scent

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The apparatus needed for the experiment are
beaker, stainless kettle, stirring rod, cheesecloth and hot
plate. The chemicals used are grated coconut, and water.
The experiment is divided into two parts. One part is for the
cold process of coconut extraction. On the other hand, the
second part is the hot process of coconut extraction.
First, the grated coconut was wrapped inside the
cheesecloth. The cheesecloth was squeezed over a
container to release the coconut milk. Then, it was soaked
in waterfor several minutes. Additional coconut milk was
added by squeezing again the soaked cheesecloth.
For the cold process, the coconut milk was
refrigerated for 10-17 hours. Solids and oil were allowed to
separate from the milk. The solids from the top was
removed and the oil was separated from the water.
For the hot process, the coconut milk was placed
into a stainless kettle. It was then heated to its boiling
temperature with constant stirring until it becomes thicker
and oily. After acquiring thick and oily mixture, the oil was
removed by decanting. Lastly, it was placed in a container
and left for 24 to 28 hours.
RESULTS and DISCUSSIONS
The obtained products were observed as shown in table 1.
Table 1. Observations
Process

Appearance

Odor

Cold Process

Colorless (a
little cloudy)

Sweet coconut
scent

Experiment 04 Date: 05/25/2016

In our experiment the hot process was

observed to obtain yellowish clear oil. This happens
because as we heat the sample containing coconut oil
with its residues. The residues remaining are burnt
resulting to a yellowish color. While in the cold process
the sample oil obtained was cloudy white in color. This
happens because as we squeeze the coconut it
releases its white substance together with the oil
mixed homogenously and by waiting a few more hours
the oil would settle and by decantation we could
separate the oil from the sample. Comparing their
scent the hot process smells more intense than the
ones extracted from the cold process.
CONCLUSIONS

In this experiment two methods were used in

extracting the oil from coconut. These processes are
hot process and cold process. In hot process, the
scent produced is very intense because the moisture
is removed as we heat the sample, wherein pure
coconut oil remained as a product. In the cold process,
water in the sample is not completely removed, so
moisture is still present as we gathered the final
product. Decantation is the process of separating the
oil used in the cold process while evaporation is the
process used of separating water form oil in the hot
process.
REFERENCES
1.
Austin, George T. (1984) Shreves Chemical
Process Industries, Fifth Edition, McGraw-Hill International
Editions

2 of 2