xii.a.2 Cox: Study of Copra 53 



content, cleanliness and freedom from dust, foreign matter or 

 adulteration, free fatty acids, freedom from unripe nuts, and 

 color and general appearance uniform rational grades for copra 

 can be established throughout the Philippine Islands. The use 

 of green nuts for copra in Samoa is prohibited. There is a law 

 which provides that nuts for making copra must be allowed to 

 drop from the trees. There are varieties of Philippine coconuts 

 whose nuts do not drop when ripe. Oil content alone does not 

 define a good copra, as the oil content of badly molded copra 

 may be on a par with that of properly prepared copra, owing 

 to the simultaneous destruction by molds of oil and of tissue in 

 relative proportions. Also the oil content of the coconuts may 

 vary with the region in which they are grown or with the variety 

 of the nut. The enforcement of grading should be easy, for 

 the color and appearance can be readily determined by inspec- 

 tion, and an inspector should soon become sufficiently expert tc 

 judge the quantity of moisture by feel. There are also several 

 simple tests that may be applied to substantiate his judgment. 

 If copra is excessively wet, it is usually hot ; if sufficiently dried. 

 a piece of copra breaks when the two edges are pressed together. 

 The width of the dark line showing on the fresh broken edge 

 is a criterion of the moisture content. An expert can also judge 

 of the oil and water content by lighting a sliver of copra. If 

 it burns readily, the copra is fairly dry and has a high oil content ; 

 if it is moderately wet, the flame will sputter as the moisture 

 is evaporated; if very wet, it will not burn. 



The studies that follow contribute to our knowledge of copra 

 and coconut oil and outline the means of obtaining a less acid 

 and less rancid oil; this will command a higher market price 

 and will bring the Philippines to the front for the quality of 

 its copra and its coconut oil; this, in turn, will increase the 

 revenue from Philippine coconut plantations. 



