NOTES ON COCONUT, COl'KA, AND COCONUT OIU 135 



CONCLUSIONS. 



The deterioration of a freshlj' preimrecT commercial coconut oil is 

 produced Ijy at least three entireh' independent processes and may be 

 divided into two distinct periods of time. 



The first, rapid splitting up of the fat, beginning immediately after 

 its expression from copra and continuing for several months np to a year 

 or more according to the nutrive matter present, is occasioned by molds 

 which are either pressed out with the oil together with sufficient sugars 

 and albuminoids for their growth, or, in the case of hot pressed oils, 

 enter the freshly prepared oil from the air. This action continues as 

 long as sufficient nutritive material for mold growth remains in the oil. 

 It may be completely checked by filtration, preferable after heating to 

 100° C. more thoroughly to coagulate albuminoids and to destroy any 

 enzymes already secreted by the molds. 



Toward the end of this first period, oxidation by the air sets in and 

 may c(mtinue indefinitely. The rate of this process depends up»on the 

 amount of surface exposed to the air, compared with the total volume 

 of oil, and ma}^ in extreme cases cause an exceedingly rapid deterioration. 

 It naay be entirely prevented by storing the oil in completely filled recep- 

 tacles, impervious to air. 



Along with the two al)ove-mentioned processes, a- slight hydrolysis 

 due to heat, moisture and free acids already present is constantly taking 

 ]jlace. It may be reduced considerably by filtration, which removes most 

 of the fl'ater, together with the organic impurities. 



There is reason to believe that stime hydrolysis is brought about by 

 enzymes produced by the molds, as unheated oils which have been filtered 

 and rendered antiseptic increase in acidity somewhat more rapidly than 

 do heated ones under the same conditions. However, this distinction is 

 not so apparent after the first year. 



Light has apparently no eJfect on tlie oxidation by air of coconut oil. 



