Dessicated Coconut Powder

Coconut has been the staple food of people in many parts of Asia and Pacific Islands. The dehydrated shredded flesh of coconut known as desiccated coconut is often used as a substitute to grated coconut in food preparations such as curries, cakes, sweets and chutneys. Confectionery and bakery units are the main consumers of desiccated coconut. Desiccated Coconut Powder is obtained by drying ground or shredded coconut kernel after the removal of brown testa. It finds extensive use in confectioneries, puddings and many other food preparations as a substitute to raw grated coconut. In India the product is manufactured by small-scale units scattered in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. A study conducted by the Coconut Development Board has revealed that a growing consumer demand for desiccated coconut powder could be developed in the country by resorting to organised market promotion activities for the popularisation of the product in consumer packs for household uses. The survey has also shown that desiccated coconut powder in consumer packs is acceptable not only in non-coconut producing states but also in Kerala. From the survey it was revealed that a sizeable section of the middle class and upper class families residing in cities and towns in Kerala would prefer desiccated coconut powder, if readily available, to raw nuts.