A question about coconuts

[watgate]

I was speaking to an individual who said that when coconuts are first delivered by truck to the Warorot Market area they go through some sort of an assembly process whereby they are initially cut up by large knives. He said when they first arrive they are brownish in color and after they are cut up individually then they are each soaked in a bleaching agent which is where they get their whitish look. I was wondering if anyone is knowledgeable or aware of this process and, if in fact they are washed or soaked in a bleaching agent? If this is true, does anyone know, if by bleaching the coconuts to turn them white, does this have any sort of a detrimental effect to the coconuts and would this pose any sort of a health risk when one drinks the juice or eats from the coconut?

Edited September 14, 2017 by watgate

[tonray]

You are almost certainly referring to the small de-husked coconuts. After de-husking they are susceptible to browning (as most fruit like apples, etc also) and so they are dipped in a solution of sodium meta bisulfite to prevent this discoloration. I doubt it affects the contents.

 

If you have ever seen cut apples in the store and wonder why and how they have not turned brown ? Same solution is used...one can also use any weak acid...vinegar or lemon juice in water will also work the same way.

 

So no, they are not bleached but treated externally to prevent discoloration. If they are coming in brown then the growers are not preparing them properly before shipment.

[Dante99]

What is the point of treating the outside of a brown nut, does the treatment soak thru the shell into the meat and milk inside?  

 

Never found any need for that when eating and drinking the coconuts from our trees. 

[cmsally]

I would imagine it might be used when they have cut away the husk :

 

Normally we only consume our own coconuts but getting difficult to find someone to go up the tree for them. Once cut like this, I guess 2 days max before they go brown if not treated.

I think unfortunately a lot of the fruit here gets treated. Have you seen those wheelie carts that sell cut up fruit, the guava looks pale green and almost fluorescent , that is not normal !!

[elgenon]

14 minutes ago, cmsally said:

I would imagine it might be used when they have cut away the husk :

 

Normally we only consume our own coconuts but getting difficult to find someone to go up the tree for them. Once cut like this, I guess 2 days max before they go brown if not treated.

I think unfortunately a lot of the fruit here gets treated. Have you seen those wheelie carts that sell cut up fruit, the guava looks pale green and almost fluorescent , that is not normal !!

Aren't there people who have monkeys trained for that?

[DualSportBiker]

Doesn't salt water have the same effect? My mate brings me coconuts every so often and those go brown pretty quick after I prepare them. The ones I buy locally remain white for days... My Thai mate suggested salt water...

I found this on a health site " the FDA prohibits the use of sodium bisulfite in meats, vitamin B-1 food sources, and raw fruits and vegetables..." and "The Food and Drug Administration regulates sulfite-based compounds and requires companies to list on their products sulfites with a concentration of at least 10 parts per million"

[Dante99]

The FDA for what country?

[DualSportBiker]

Just now, Dante99 said:

The FDA for what country?

Sorry - US of A.

[oldcarguy]

off topic , but which kind of palm trees have coconuts ?

 

We happened to be driving down a  street today lined with 100 plus palm trees ,  all  50ft tall Palm trees......

 

it was like a Hollywood movie :)     ok we were near Hollywood or that was the sign on the hill......

 

and we were joking that its good they did not plant Palm Trees that had coconuts to drop down on our truck.....

 

Were these the wrong type of Palm Trees ? 

Edited September 15, 2017 by oldcarguy

[DefaultName]

1 hour ago, DualSportBiker said:

Doesn't salt water have the same effect? My mate brings me coconuts every so often and those go brown pretty quick after I prepare them. The ones I buy locally remain white for days... My Thai mate suggested salt water...

I found this on a health site " the FDA prohibits the use of sodium bisulfite in meats, vitamin B-1 food sources, and raw fruits and vegetables..." and "The Food and Drug Administration regulates sulfite-based compounds and requires companies to list on their products sulfites with a concentration of at least 10 parts per million"

But it's being used on the outside to keep it pretty, not on the bit you eat (or drink), so that doesn't really apply here.

[DualSportBiker]

1 minute ago, DefaultName said:

But it's being used on the outside to keep it pretty, not on the bit you eat (or drink), so that doesn't really apply here.

 

Really? I thought the sodium meta bisulfite solution is a 'bath' that the prepared coconuts are soaked in to maintain a white external appearance... So that would be the same as soaking in salt water. The nut is waterproof and so either solution will not get to the meat or coconut water...

[madusa]

What's wrong with a brown coconut, not beautiful enough to be eaten? That's the problem with this consumer society. 

More profit , more profit, change the colour, or a better idea is to inject "Aspartame" into the coconut to make it taste better, never mind if anyone die from cancer . Profit is more important. You can inject sugar but Aspartame is cheaper , so more profit.

[tonray]

16 hours ago, Dante99 said:

What is the point of treating the outside of a brown nut, does the treatment soak thru the shell into the meat and milk inside?  

 

Never found any need for that when eating and drinking the coconuts from our trees. 

It's all aesthetics.. People don't like brown fruit.. To them brown means spoiled or not good. Just to look good on the cart or shelf 

[Guest Jerry787]

thai cocunut are first cutted, then in a bath of bleaching agent (unhealthy) and then left in a sugary water bath, it will make then more sweet and cover the sourness of the bleaching agent, i actually never drink a coconut water id been clean and nice water , i only take the one with still the green cover as they are not treated.
source of coconut is also very important

 

where the three grows next to a sewage or dirty water, as the coconut got its water from the roots..... 

[rickudon]

A lot of paranoid people here ......

[peterb17]

13 hours ago, rickudon said:

A lot of paranoid people here ......

I would agree - especially when you consider there a row brewing in the UK- as the country is refusing to accept chlorine dipped cheap chicken from America- ( apparently this is standard practice) , the EU bans American meat because of extensive use of antibiotics. 

 

I have a lot of cocunuts in my garden- just have to find someone to get them down-I worry about they landing on my head! 

 

Just enjoy the freah cocunuts- probably unless you consume several thousand a day - will do you no harm. 

Edited September 16, 2017 by peterb17