Study on Fatty Acid Composition and Amino Acid Content of Coconut Endosperm of Selected Coconut Cultivars in Thailand
Abstract
The nutritive values of tropical fruits like coconut are of interest to consumers and useful for the breeding program. The two experiments were carried out in Completely Randomized Design with 3 replications. The first experiment aimed to determine the essential and non-essential amino acid content of liquid and solid endosperm of potential market varieties of coconut such as young tender nut of Aromatic Green Dwarf (Nam Hom) and mature nut of hybrid Nam Hom x Kathi (NHK). Among the 18 kinds of amino acids, the significant differences were found on Aspatic acid, Cystine, Serine, Isoleucine, and Phenylalanine content while highly significant differences were found on Histidine and Methionine content. The second experiment aimed to determine the fatty acid composition of virgin coconut oil of 20 coconut accessions from the coconut field gene bank of Thailand at Chumphon Horticultural Research Centre. The result showed that there were significant differences on the eight fatty acid compositions. Among the eight fatty acids, lauric acid is the most noted one by consumers and it was found that lauric acid content in virgin coconut oil (VCO) was excellent (lauric acid > 48.8%) and the mean of lauric aicd content among the eight varieties had no significant difference at 5% level by DMRT. These varieties include including Renell Tall, Chumphon Hybrid No. 2, Malayan Yellow Dwarf, Sawi Hybrid No.1 (MAWA), Hybrid Chumphon 60, Thai Red Dwarf, Sri Lanka Tall, and Hybrid Nam Hom x Kathi (NHK) with the lauric acid content at 51.0, 50.1, 49.3, 49.0, 49.0, 49.0, 48.9, and 48.8%, respectively. These varieties, therefore, were suitable for VCO processing since they have high lauric content.
References
Aurag P., Sandhya V.G. and T. Rajamohan. 2007. Cardioprotective effect of tender coconut water. Indian Coconut Journal, 37 (9), p 22-25.
Bawalan, Divina D. 2009. Technical options for the production of virgin coconut oil and defatted coconut kernel product. Indian Coconut Journal, 42(3), p. 2-11.
Carandang, E.V. 2008. Health benefits of virgin coconut oil. Indian Coconut Journal, 38 (9), p 8-12.
Chomchalow, N. 2010. Health and economic benefits of coconut oil production development in Thailand. In proceeding of the 46th COCOTECH meeting, 5-9 July 2010, Samui island, Thailand. p. 16-23.
Dayrit, C.S. 2000. Coconut oil in health and disease: its and monolaurin’s potential as cure for HIV/AIDS. In proceeding of the 37th COCOTECH meeting 5-9 July 2000, Chennai, India. p. 16-23.
Enig, M.G. 1999. Coconut: In support of good health in the 21st century (Invited paper). In Report of the 36th Session meeting, Pohnpei, FSM 27 September – 1 October 1999. p.138-164.
File, B.F. 2005. Coconut oil and Health. In proceeding of the International Coconut Forum, 22-24 November 2005, Cairns, Australia. p.49-56.
Ghosh, D. Kr.; Ghosh, A.; Manojkumar, C.; and Samsudeen, K.. 2008. A simpler approach to understand coronary heart disease, fat facts and its correlation with consumption of coconut oil. Indian Coconut Journal, 37(10), 15-19.
Hegde, B.M. 2009. Coconut-the best food for human beings’s health and longevity. Indian Coconut Journal, 40(2), 17-18.
Kabara, J.J. 2000. Health oils from the tree of life (Nutritional and health aspects of coconut oil). In Proceeding of the 37th COCOTECH meeting, 24-28 July 2000, Chennai, India. p.101-109.
Krishna, A.G. Golpala. 2012. Coconut oil: science, technology, and applications. Inform, 23(6), p. 395-399.
Lokesh, B.R. 2007. Virgin coconut oil. Indian Coconut Journal, 38(4), p. 17-18.
Nair, G.S. Unnikrishnan. 2010. The health benefits of virgin coconut oil. Indian Coconut Journal, 41(8), p. 12-15.
Novarianto, H; Tulalo, M.; Karouw, S.; and Maskromo, I. 2006. Lauric acid profiles and nutrition of various coconut varieties as raw materials for VCO. In Proceedings of One-day Seminar on VCO for Health and Nutrition, 8 July 2006, Roxy square, Jakarta, Indonesia. p. 44-52.
Pande, G. and Akoh, C.C. 2012. Structured lipids in nutraceutical formulations. Inform, 23(1), p. 50-52
Rethinam, P. 2002. Performance of high yielding coconut varieties / hybrids and varietal preferences of coconut farmers in different countries. Asian and Pacific Coconut Community. Jakarta, Indonesia. 174 pp.
Rethinam, P.; Singh, P.S.; and Muhartoyo. 2005. Coconut oil for health and Nutrition 2nd printing. Asian and Pacific Coconut Community. Jakarta, Indonesia. 31 pp.
Rethinam, P. 2006. Coconut water – Nature’s health drink. Asian and Pacific Coconut Community. Jakarta, Indonesia. 35 pp.
Satyabalan, K. 1997. Coconut varieties and cultivars, their classification. Asian and Pacific Coconut Community. 105 pp.
Thirakul, A. 1979. Thailand. Yearly progress report coconut breeding 1978 FAO Rome. p. 8-10.
Vasudevan, D.M. 2010. Lipid profile in blood and in plaque material from diseased coronary artery. Indian Coconut Journal, 41(10), p. 17-21.
Watanayothin, S.; Woralakphakdi, S.; and Buara, P. 2010. Varietal improvement of Makapuno hybrid. In proceeding of the 46th COCOTECH meeting 5-9 July 2010, Samui island, Thailand. p. 96-107.
Woodroof, J.G. 1970. Coconuts: Productions, processing, products. USA: The AVI publishing company, Inc. Westport, Connecticut. 240 pp.
Twishsri, W. (2009). Report of the research activity series 01-11-49-01-01-01-49 (Comparison on Chemical composition based on health benefit of coconut endosperm of Maphrao Nam Hom and Selected coconut cultivars) under the Research Project entitled “Breeding program for Aromatic Green Dwarf”. Dept. of Agriculture, Thailand (in Thai language)
