Everything You Need to Know About Organic Desiccated Coconut

Desiccated coconut is a product derived from the coconut fruit, that is widely used in sweet and savoury recipes in Sri Lanka and across the world. In this article, we get to know the uses, health benefits, and processes involved in the production and sourcing of organic desiccated coconut from Sri Lanka.

Organic desiccated coconut refers to the dried, shredded flesh derived from coconuts that have been cultivated in organic-certified farms. Following shredding, the white flesh is dehydrated to remove moisture, resulting in a dry product which has a slightly more concentrated taste, and flaky texture. Depending on the process followed, the resulting product may be fine desiccated coconut, medium desiccated coconut, or even rough desiccated coconut.

Unlike regular desiccated coconut, being organic means that the desiccated coconut product is free of potential contamination with harmful synthetic pesticides, weedicides, or fertilisers, as the coconut trees are cultivated on healthy, organic soil where natural compost and modern organic pest control techniques are used to improve yield. Sustainability is another aspect to consider when running an organic operation, as sustainable practices such as crop rotation help to maintain long-term organic production of high-quality harvests.

Considering the nutritional value of desiccated coconut, benefits of incorporating it into your diet include:

• Supporting digestion, due to its substantial fibre content.
• Boosting immunity, due to its lauric acid content (lauric acid has antimicrobial properties).
• Providing a quick energy boost, due to its medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) content which boosts metabolism, thereby rapidly getting converted into energy, and also supporting brain function.
• Supporting specific allergen-free dietary requirements, as it is naturally gluten- and dairy-free, and has a low sugar content.
• Improving overall well-being, due to its antioxidant content, and essential mineral (manganese, copper, selenium) constituents which support bone health, red blood cell generation, and metabolism.

Desiccated coconut uses are numerous in the food and beverage industry, and it only takes a little digging around to come across desiccated coconut recipes of all sorts. As such, culinary uses of desiccated coconut include:

• Baking with desiccated coconut, to add flavour and texture to biscuits, cakes, breads, and other baked goods.
• Incorporation into various confectionery items such as chocolates, and traditional local sweets of different origins (e.g. Sri Lankan coconut rock sweets).
• Incorporation into savoury dishes such as curries, to add texture, flavour, and viscosity.
• Creating healthy meal/snack options such as granola mixes, cereals and cereal bars, yogurt bowls, etc.
• Addition to desserts and pastries as a topping, for visual and textural enhancement.
• Incorporation into smoothies and other healthy drinks, to increase thickness, as well as for a bit of tropical feel and flavour.

Considering desiccated coconut nutrition values, and the wide variety of culinary recipes using desiccated coconut, it is no surprise that desiccated coconut manufacturers in Sri Lanka have a high demand for their product.

With a steady, year-round harvest of coconut, Sri Lanka is a great sourcing hub for desiccated coconut. Subsequently, there are a multitude of desiccated coconut suppliers in Sri Lanka. It is therefore imperative to make sure that the supplier that you pick is genuine and meets your requirements. Here are a few things to look out for:

• Are the coconuts sourced from organic-certified, sustainably-run farms that maintain said standards?
• Are there quality control measures in place to ensure the integrity of the product?
• Does the product have traceability from farm to consumer, and are transparency, communication, and reliability assured through every step?
• What safety and authenticity certifications does the product have?
• Is the supplier familiar with the logistics and procedures required to ensure that the product reaches you on time and in good condition?
• Does the supplier offer bulk supply, or white-label packaging options to meet your requirement?
• Does the supplier maintain suitable storage of the product before and after packaging?

Organic desiccated coconut should be stored in a cool, dry space, away from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. The storage space should also be clean, and free of pests and other ingredients or elements with strong odours. With the correct storage conditions in place, the product would generally have a shelf life of around 12-18 months in its original sealed packaging. If opened, the product should be stored in an airtight container, and would ideally have a shelf life of 6-12 months. Freezer storage could increase shelf life for up to two years. However, the product should be allowed to come back to room temperature before usage, so as to attain its intended taste and texture.

Miditer is committed to producing high quality organic desiccated coconut, with the guarantee of sustainability and accountability. We offer both fine desiccated coconut, and medium desiccated coconut, packed in resealable pouches (500g/1kg) which help to retain the freshness of the product, and are convenient for use and storage. We also offer the option of bulk export, and would be happy to partner with like-minded entities who are keen to be a distributor for Miditer, or develop your own white-label products.

Get in touch with Miditer’s knowledgeable liaison team to learn more about our organic desiccated coconut products, and the prospects of building a long-term partnership with Miditer.