By Claude Wilson, Financial Gleaner Writer
ECONOMIC LOSSES resulting from spoilage of coconut water is being tackled.
The Ministry of Agriculture is attempting to cut the losses being experienced among small-scale bottlers of coconut water as a result of this problem. It has sourced some $6.2 million from The Netherlands based Common Fund for Commodities to continue the implementation of its coconut products cottage industry project.
"From time to time we have spoilage of particular batches of coconut water and even recently we had to remove a number of bottles from the shelf as shoppers returned spoilt samples to the store," said Patrick Lee, store manager at Red Hills Road Lees Food Fair. He said the spoilage was due to inconsistency in the processing of the coconut water.
IMPROPER STORAGE
But Leo Stone at Free Hill Products, manufacturer of the Free Hill brand of coconut water thinks otherwise. He said most of the spoilage experienced at the retail end is due to improper storage temperatures by retailers and is not necessarily caused by problems in manufacturing.
Once exposed to air, the liquid rapidly loses most of its nutritional characteristics, and begins to ferment, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
"Coconut water production is even more sensitive than milk-making," Mr. Stone said. "It is necessary for retailers to adhere to the recommended storage temperature failing which, the shelf life will be drastically reduced and the product will go bad."
The shelf life of bottle coconut water is 2-3 weeks, Mr. Stone said.
Products with additives, mostly from the larger manufacturers, seem to enjoy much longer shelf life. But many smaller coconut water brands include no preservative, according to the St. Mary processor.
The FAO has patented a new technology that would allow manufacturers to bottle coconut water that is biologically pure, tasty and full of the salts, sugars and vitamins demanded by especially athletes. Before the FAO developed the new technology, coconut water's nutritional characteristics could not be preserved over any substantial period of time.
According to the FAO, the new technology holds tremendous promise for tropical countries. Countries that process or export coconuts and small farmers who grow them will be the main beneficiaries of the newly patented technology
The multi-million dollar coconut water-bottling sector has grown considerably within the last few years in response to the decline in the once vibrant oil and soap industries and the need to seek non-traditional methods of disposal of the over 150 million nuts produced annually on some 9000 farms across the island.
