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Fresh or packed - Tender coconut packaging
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Wednesday, 01 June, 2011, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Tender coconut is valued both for its sweet water and the delicious gelatinous kernel.
Today there are packaging technologies available for packing tender coconut water in its fresh form as well as in its packed form as consumer packs.
Fresh form For this, the minimally processed tender coconuts are partially dehusked. Seven-eight months old green tender nuts are machine-shaved to an attractive and uniform hexagonal shape.
After the removal of husk, the tender coconuts are dipped in a solution of potassium meta bisulphite and citric acid for few minutes and then dried. These machine-shaved nuts are then ready to be packed and distributed.
Due to the presence of sugar and a number of plant enzymes, the tender coconut water has a tendency to undergo biochemical changes and spoilage, once the nuts are harvested from the tree. These changes can be controlled by adequate packaging.
Packed form Various types of packaging materials have made significant strides in the packaging industry. The improved system of packaging would help to retain the quality of the product over a longer period of time, thereby help the growth of the local market and increase the possibility of exports. The recommended packaging for packing tender coconut in its fresh form was to stretch-wrap the minimally processed tender coconuts in 15 µ LDPE (stretch film).
The second option is to pack them in a pillow pouch of 25 µ PP with 3/4 side seals. After filling the product, the pouch is closed by heat sealing.
The Coconut Development Board has developed a technology for packaging of tender coconut water in retortable pouches and PP bottles. The shelf life of the product is three months under ambient condition and 6 months under refrigerated condition.
The retortable pouch consists of 3 ply laminated material of polyester / aluminum foil / polypropylene. The outer polyester film of 12 micron thickness provides the strength and abrasion resistance. The aluminum foil gives the laminate the necessary water, gas, odour and light barrier properties. The polypropylene layer provides the strong heat seal and contributes to the overall pack strength.
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