- Characteristics and Benefit of RBD Coconut Oil
- RBD Coconut Oil Process
- The Difference Between RBD Coconut Oil and Virgin Coconut Oil
- Refined vs Unrefined, What’s The Difference?
- Composition of RBD Coconut Oil
- Application of Coconut Oil RBD
RBD coconut oil is a refined, bleached and deodorized crude coconut oil. This multipurpose oil can be used for various purposes, from cooking to cosmetics. Due to its versatility, the global coconut oil market is estimated to reach USD 7.5 billion by 2027.
How can the RBD coconut oil be versatile? The following will discuss in more detail about RBD coconut oil along with its benefits and processing methods.
Characteristics and Benefit of RBD Coconut Oil
In the market, coconut oil RBD is in very high demand because it has many beneficial characteristics:
- The oil has a high smoke point of more than 220 degrees Celsius, making it suitable for deep frying. Studies have shown that the oil remains in relatively acceptable quality after prolonged deep frying at 180 degrees Celcius.
- RBD coconut oil can be stored for quite some time. In average, RBD coconut oil is has a shelf life of 2 years.
- This type of coconut oil does not contain coconut aroma nor taste, therefore will not alter the flavors of the food being cooked.
- RBD Coconut Oil also rich is short and medium-chain fatty acid which has excellent healing properties, making it a sought-after material for beauty products. The oil can be processed into many personal care products, such as soap, shampoo, cosmetics, moisturizer, massage oil, and hair treatment. It can also be used to improve bad acne, skin lesions and allergies, as well as oral health.
- Coconut oil is a very stable oil. According to ScientificAmerican.com, the oil does not oxidize easily and does not produce harmful chemicals when heated.
In addition, the reason why RBD coconut oil is selling well in the market is because it is relatively more affordable than other types of oil, such as olive oil, corn oil, and canola oil.
RBD Coconut Oil Process
RBD is the short of for Refined, Bleached, and Deodorized. This term refers to the oil processing method in the factory. The RBD process can produce many types of vegetable oil, not just coconut oil.
Although various types of oil can be made through this process, here we will only discuss how to produce RBD coconut oil from coconut.
First, aged coconuts (more than 300 days old) are selected, because they produce the most meat or kernel. These aged coconuts are crushed open to reveal the coconut meat inside. The extracted fresh coconut meat, separated from its shell, contains about 50 to 55% water or moisture.
Second, these fresh coconut meat needs to be dried out into copra. The most common drying methods are exposing them to direct sunlight, or smoked them dry using fire. Ideally, copra will have only 7% moisture content for quality crude coconut oil extraction.
Third, crude coconut oil is extracted from copra or dried coconut meat. Although there are multiple methods of crude coconut oil extraction, the most commonly used method is called dry processing method. Copra will be crushed, pressed, and filtered. The process will involve some heat. Lastly, crude coconut oil will be further processed into RBD coconut oil.
Here are some steps that are passed to be able to produce good RBD oil:
1. Acid Conditioning Section
In this first process, the completely dry copra is then heated repeatedly using a special machine. The purpose of this heating is to precipitate the latex and various metal compounds or impurities that are still remaining in the copra content.
2. Bleaching Section
The next process goes to the bleaching section, where the copra will be re-deposited to remove dirt in the oil using a bleacher machine. This process is to absorb various impurities or residues that are still present in the oil content, so that the texture of the oil that was still concentrated will turn clear.
After that, the oil will be filtered to remove any remaining fine particles. At this stage the oil will be bleached using very high temperatures.
3. Deodorization Section
Furthermore, coconut oil will be processed using a deodorizer. However, before that the oil must be heated first using high-temperature steam. After that, the oil will be flowed into the deodorizer so that the odor and remaining fatty acids can be lost.
The process of eliminating this odor is characterized by the addition of sodium hydroxide. The goal is for the oil to completely remove free fat and mono fat.
This process is what distinguishes RBD from virgin coconut oil. That way, the resulting oil is highly purified coconut oil when compared to natural VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil).
The Difference Between RBD and Virgin Coconut Oil
Then what is the difference between RBD and VCO coconut oil?
The main difference to being able to recognize refined coconut oil is that it tends to be odorless and tasteless. While virgin coconut oil maintains the aroma and taste of soft coconut. Regardless, RBD oil is produced very differently than VCO.
RBD oil is processed and refined using heat and chemicals. Meanwhile, virgin coconut oil does not go through this process. The basic ingredients for making these two oils are also different. RBD oil uses copra, while virgin coconut oil is made from mature coconut meat.
Refined vs Unrefined, What’s The Difference?
The main difference between virgin and unrefined coconut oil is how the oil is produced. Ultimately each of these processes will affect their physical properties, such as taste and smoke point.
a. Refined Coconut Oil
Refined coconut oil undergoes several additional processes to make it more suitable for cooking. The process starts from copra which is pressed in crude coconut oil. Furthermore, there are still a few more steps including:
- Degumming. Raw coconut oil is mixed with degumming ingredients to remove gums, which can change the quality and texture of the oil. The way the oil is washed in water to separate these gums from the oil.
- Neutralizing. Sodium hydroxide is added to the oil and forms soap with free fatty acids. The oil is then washed with water to remove soap and free fatty acids. This process reduces the risk of a rancid odor, as the free fatty acids are susceptible to oxidation.
- Bleaching. The oil is bleached by first filtering it through an activated clay filter. However, no bleach is used in this process.
- Deodorizing. The oil is deodorized over high heat to remove any lingering coconut aroma or taste.
b. Unrefined Coconut Oil
Unrefined coconut oil or crude coconut oil is oil that has been squeezed from coconut flesh and has not undergone further processing.
To extract crude coconut oil can be done by two methods, namely:
- Dry. Coconut oil is squeezed from copra using a machine.
- Wet. This technique involves the process of squeezing coconut milk and coconut oil from fresh coconuts and separating the two.
Most of the crude coconut oil is extracted using a wet process. You may have noticed some crude coconut oil products are labeled “cold press”, which means that no heat was used to extract them.
Composition of RBD Coconut Oil
The coconut oil RBD type is made from pure coconut which is rich in lauric acid. As for the compound found in milk, lauric acid converts it into monolaurin whose function is as a natural antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiprotozoal, when consumed by the body.
Most of the fatty acids contained in RBD oil are MCFAs (Medium Chain Fatty Acids). MCFAs have Anti-Atherosclerosis properties and are stable when heated repeatedly. Therefore, the content in RBD oil is able to increase LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) and reduce HDL (High Density Lipoprotein), as well as free radicals that can trigger cell damage.
RBD oil is recommended to be consumed per daily food intake. The properties in the RBD oil content will not cause obesity because of the presence of MCFAs which can be used as energy and do not cause fat retention. This can help you keep your heart and blood healthy.
Application of Coconut Oil RBD
1. Cooking Oil
As mentioned above, coconut oil RBD is commonly used in the food industry because its neutral taste, odorless aroma, and durable cooking quality. Moreover, RBD coconut oil is also widely preferred because it contains medium chain triglyceride (MCT) fatty acids which is considered heart-healthy.
According to Journal of Nutrition October 2021, MCT fatty acids intake does not cause an increase in cholesterol levels. MCT can be digested quickly and converted into energy, therefore not stored as excess fat in the body. Along with its aforementioned high smoke point and durability, RBD coconut oil is the material of choice for frying on a large scale.
In Indonesia, coconut oil become the second most popular cooking oil after RBD palm olein. Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency, the consumption of cooking oil in Indonesia per household can reach one liter per week.
2. Processed Food Industry
Processed food industry have increased substantially due to COVID-19. Coconut oil is not only used in making snacks or other packaged foods, but also margarine and baked products.
3. Cosmetics
Did you know that a number of cosmetics that are often sold in the market are made from coconut oil? The oil is rich in Vitamin E, which nourishes skin. Coconut oil can also be used to reduce hair damage due to dryness and bleaching. A well-known beauty online publisher Byrdie reviewed four of the best coconut oil lip balm in late 2021, highlighting coconut oil as a potent hydrating ingredient.
4. Personal Care Industry
Coconut oil’s cleansing, antibacterial, and moisturizing properties are the reasons why the oil is perfect for personal care products, such as soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions. The oil also has natural foaming properties. While coconut oil is a great ingredient to add hardness to soap bars, it also can be used to create liquid soap with effective skin cleansing properties.
5. Detergent
Coconut oil can be processed into glycerin (glycerol), which can be further processed into detergent or laundry soap. Why glycerin? Because it has chemical properties that are suitable for soap and detergent.
Glycerin is colorless, odorless, and non-toxic. The compound is also a good solvent for organic and inorganic solids, meaning that glycerin can improve soap’s ability to dissolve dirts and stains. Moreover, glycerin can act as softener and retain moisture, essential in ensuring product homogeneity.
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