Development of Freeze-Dried Coconut Drink and Its Nutrient Content, Sensory Profile, and Shelf Life

This study aimed to determine the nutrient content, sensory profile, and shelf life of powdered coconut drink processed with freeze-drying method. The drink was made from a mixture of young coconut water and young coconut meat from freshly harvested fruit. The freeze-dried powdered coconut drink has high Mg and Fe but low Na content. The amino acid profile was dominated by lysine, leucine, valine, and arginine, while fatty acid profile contained mostly lauric, myristic, and oleic acids. The development of powdered coconut drink through freeze-drying showed that the process could maintain its sensory characteristics with a slight reduction in sweetness and loss of fermented aroma. It also could prolong the shelf life of the product to 59, 44, and 30 days at 25°C, 35°C, and 45°C, respectively. In conclusion, powdered coconut drink had nutritional content and sensory characteristics not significantly different to fresh products while having longer shelf life.