Coconut oil not packed at source shown to be inferior

Brands that are not picked, pressed and packed at source are of an inferior quality and taste and should be avoided by retailers, according to Coconoil md Garry Stiven.

Labour-intensive​

Because packing at source can be a labour-intensive process, many brands ship oil in large vats and then mechanically pack it in the UK. However, because the oil sets in transit, it has to be reheated in the UK to allow it to become liquid again for packing.

Coconoil commissioned an independent laboratory to carry out peroxide tests on two oils packed in the UK against its own brand, which is picked, pressed and packed at source.

The laboratory measured the peroxide levels of each over a 10-month period – about half of the recommended shelf-life for most coconut oils.

Peroxide levels​

All three of the oils were shown to have very similar peroxide levels at the start, but at the end, the peroxide levels had risen by 100% and 80% in the two brands packed in the UK, but only by 20% in Coconoil.

The research concluded that the heating up of the oil in the UK speeds up the breakdown of the oil, resulting in greater oxidation.

“It is important for retailers and consumers to understand that not all coconut oil is created equally,” ​said Stiven.