rapa
12-06-2006, 06:27 PM
Coconut oil is not a risk factor for heart diseases, Industrial Technology Institute, senior research officer Dr. Jaanaki Gooneratne said.
She was speaking at a panel discussion recently on coconut oil in the Sri Lankan diet.
The research was carried out by Dr. Gooneratne together with her team at the Industrial Technology Institute.
"We chose 960 subjects from the sedentary population in the Gampaha district. This group was a high meat-eating group and used coconut in their diet. We did not find any factor that coconut oil caused heart disease. But the use of alcohol, smoking and age affects heart diseases more than coconut oil," she said.
Consultant Cardiologist Dr. D.P. Atukorale agreeing with Dr. Gooneratne said 65 per cent of the rural population use coconut in their diet.
"There is no high risk among coconut users than non-coconut oil users. Coconut gives calories and provides basic nutrients. Coconut is not harmful to the heart," he said.
Processing and quality control of coconut products was also discussed. "Coconut oil is produced by extracting oil from copra, which is dried coconut flesh.
The total supply chain must have quality assurance mechanism to offer the end consumer a safe product. It is timely that the total supply chain of coconut oil is taken under HACCP/GMP type approach to assure quality," Research and Development Manager foods, Unilever Ceylon Ltd, Kumudu Samarasekara said.
She said the implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices is needed at the coconut planter, copra producer and the miller.
Coconut Research Institute, Senior Research Officer Dr N. Marikkar pointed out that oil obtained through traditional kiln drying process is inferior in quality.
"Due to various drawbacks in drying practices and smoke curing, oil obtained through this process is found to be inferior in quality. Therefore unrefined coconut oil extracted from copra is not suitable for consumption and must be purified and deodorised prior to the use," he explained.
(Reference: Daily News 2006/12/06)
She was speaking at a panel discussion recently on coconut oil in the Sri Lankan diet.
The research was carried out by Dr. Gooneratne together with her team at the Industrial Technology Institute.
"We chose 960 subjects from the sedentary population in the Gampaha district. This group was a high meat-eating group and used coconut in their diet. We did not find any factor that coconut oil caused heart disease. But the use of alcohol, smoking and age affects heart diseases more than coconut oil," she said.
Consultant Cardiologist Dr. D.P. Atukorale agreeing with Dr. Gooneratne said 65 per cent of the rural population use coconut in their diet.
"There is no high risk among coconut users than non-coconut oil users. Coconut gives calories and provides basic nutrients. Coconut is not harmful to the heart," he said.
Processing and quality control of coconut products was also discussed. "Coconut oil is produced by extracting oil from copra, which is dried coconut flesh.
The total supply chain must have quality assurance mechanism to offer the end consumer a safe product. It is timely that the total supply chain of coconut oil is taken under HACCP/GMP type approach to assure quality," Research and Development Manager foods, Unilever Ceylon Ltd, Kumudu Samarasekara said.
She said the implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices is needed at the coconut planter, copra producer and the miller.
Coconut Research Institute, Senior Research Officer Dr N. Marikkar pointed out that oil obtained through traditional kiln drying process is inferior in quality.
"Due to various drawbacks in drying practices and smoke curing, oil obtained through this process is found to be inferior in quality. Therefore unrefined coconut oil extracted from copra is not suitable for consumption and must be purified and deodorised prior to the use," he explained.
(Reference: Daily News 2006/12/06)