Application of High Electric Field Pulses in Coconut Milk Processing

The aim of this study was to investigate the application of high electric field pulses (HELP) as a nonthermal cell disintegration method for production of coconut milk and separation of coconut oil from coconut milk. The results of this study showed that it is possible to increase the coconut milk yield using HELP pretreatment (at 4.25 kV/cm and 163 pulses, energy consumption less than 10kJ/kg) compared to the thermal method (80 ?C, 15 min, energy consumption of about 200 kJ/kg). The yield of coconut milk using HELP treatment was distinctly higher (79.68%) than untreated (74.03%) and slightly higher than thermal (78.14 %) or freeze thaw (82.20%) pretreated samples. In addition, the oil content in HELP pretreated coconut milk was higher (24.5%) than untreated (18.5%) and comparable or slightly lower than heat treated or freeze thawed samples (24% and 25 % respectively). High electric field pulse treatment of coconut cream at 3kV and 150 pulses followed by centrifugation (4000 rpm, 10 min) resulted in a drastic increase of oil separation (30.81%) compared to centrifuged samples without HELP treatment (11.75) and comparable (32%) oil separation with thermal (at 90 ?C, 10 min) treated sample. In general energy consumption for oil separation using HELP treatment was distinctly lower (about less than 80 kJ/kg) compared to thermal treatment (about 250 kJ/kg, at 90 ?C.