Copra is the dried kernel or meat of a coconut that is commonly used to produce coconut oil. In coconut farming, copra is produced by removing the husk of a mature coconut and then extracting the white flesh inside. The flesh is then dried either by sun drying or by using mechanical dryers until it is completely dry and brittle.
How is dry copra extracted?
More commonly, the dry copra is first extracted by the solvent-free method using expellers to obtain better quality coconut oil. Then the residue is processed through solvent extraction plant using food-grade hexane as a solvent to extract the residual coconut oil (8 to 12%). Dry copra may be extracted directly in solvent extraction plants.
What is copra used for?
Copra, after extraction of oil, leaves a residue which is palatable oil cake (or copra meal or mash). It is used in animal feeds, mainly for ruminants. It is used as fodder for horses, cattle, sheep and deer. Its high protein content (and oil content) is fattening for stock.
How much coconut oil is in a copra meal?
The solvent extracted copra meal can still contain residual 2 to 4% coconut oil. Processing dry copra through expellers generally offers about 60% yield (as high as 70%) of coconut oil based of dry weight. About 30 to 40% is oil cake.