Effects of processing on protein nutritive quality of coconut Cocos nucifera products

Pared, comminuted and blanched coconut meat was freeze-dried at25 ^°C for 24 hours and pulverized. Whole coconut meal wassolvent extracted with n-hexane to yield a defatted meal while full-fatcoconut protein concentrate (FFC-PC) containing 27.60% protein wasprepared by alkali extraction of undefatted meal followed by isoelectricprecipitation. Defatted coconut meal had a significantly (p 0.05)lower crude fat but higher protein content than whole coconut meal.Similarly, FFC-PC had a significantly (p 0.05) higher proteinbut lower carbohydrate content than whole coconut meal and defattedcoconut meal. Whole coconut meal, defatted coconut meal and FFC-PChad PERs of 1.98, 2.18 and 2.48 respectively, with NPRs of 2.86, 3.28and 3.92, respectively. Protein digestibility values of 88.75%, 89.30%and 94.02% were obtained for whole coconut meal, defatted coconutmeal and full-fat coconut protein concentrate, respectively. Growthresponse of animals showed that FPC-PC was superior to all other testdiets.