Coconut milk powder is made through a straightforward process that transforms fresh coconut milk into a dry, powdered form, primarily using a technique called spray drying.
The journey from a fresh coconut to its powdered counterpart involves several key stages:
The Coconut Milk Powder Manufacturing Process
The process begins with carefully selected fresh coconuts. According to information from producers in Vietnam and The Philippines, the steps are typically as follows:
- Gathering the Meat: Fresh coconut meat is harvested from mature coconuts. Sourcing often involves sustainable and ethical practices.
- Grating: The gathered coconut meat is then grated into fine pieces.
- Pressing: The grated coconut meat is pressed firmly to extract the liquid, which is the fresh coconut milk. This is the raw material for the powder.
- Drying: The extracted coconut milk undergoes a spray drying process. This is a fast and efficient drying method that uses heat to rapidly evaporate the water content from the milk, leaving behind fine, solid particles which constitute the coconut milk powder.
This method effectively preserves the flavor and nutrients of the coconut milk in a shelf-stable, powdered form, making it convenient for storage and use.
Key Technique:
- Spray Drying: This is the crucial final step. The liquid coconut milk is atomized into tiny droplets and sprayed into a chamber where hot air quickly dries the droplets before they reach the chamber walls. This creates a fine powder.
By following these steps, fresh coconut meat is converted into the versatile powder used in numerous culinary applications.
