Virgin Coconut Oil: Extraction, Physicochemical Properties, Biological Activities and Its Authentication Analysis

ABSTRACT

Virgin coconut oil (VCO) has emerged as functional food oil due to its capability to provide some biological activities which are beneficial to human health. This is due to the fact that some minor components like tocopherols and phenolics compounds are retained. VCO is prepared from fresh, mature kernel of the coconuts by mechanical or natural means, with or without the use of heat, but specifically without any chemical refining, bleaching and deodorizing (RBD). As a consequence, VCO has slight difference in terms of some physico-chemical properties with RBD coconut oil. Due to phenolics compounds contained, VCO exhibited several pharmacological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory, anti-hyperlipidemia, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-bacterial and neuroprotective activities. VCO has commanded high price value in the fats and oils industry, hence, VCO can be target of adulteration with low priced oils. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and chromatographic techniques combined with multivariate analysis has been successfully reported for analysis of adulteration practice involving the substitution or replacement VCO with other oils. This review highlights some techniques for VCO extraction, physicochemical (characterization), biological activities and authentication analysis of VCO.

KEYWORDS:

• Virgin coconut oil
• authentication analysis
• functional oil
• physicochemical properties
• health benefits

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledged the Ministry of Research and Higher Education, the Republic of Indonesia for financial support during preparing this review article through the scheme “World Class Research 2019” with contract number of 1973/UN1.DITLIT/DIT-LIT/LT/2019 awarded to Prof. Dr Abdul Rohman and the program development of Twin center Universitas Gadjah Mada, awarded to Dr Yuny Erwanto.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The ministry of Research and higher education [1973/UN1.DITLIT/DIT-LIT/ LT/2019] through the scheme of World Class Research.