If you ever buy coconut and wonder why it might have a pinkish tinge to it, we learned what that’s all about this week.
To set the stage, we were supposed to be going to visit our mother, but that got postponed. So, our main activity for the sister’s get together this month was MORE COCONUTS (oh and Deb hemming Ryan’s new pants for his first job)!
Shari purchased 12; Deb and I brought a total of 9. One of the 21 was bad, bad, bad, so we ended up with 20.
We did the regular process:
Extract the water from the coconut
Freeze over night
Crack the coconut
Extract the meat from the shell
Flake in the food processor
Dehydrate
During the dehydrate process, some of the flakes turned varying degrees of – from pink to rust red (looks brown in the picture, but that’s just the reaction to the flash on my camera). Some actually looked burned.
While we all guessed at what might be the cause, I finally did a bit of googling and found two sources that mention this strange phenomenon. We were fairly close in our guess(es) Here is what I got from Ask Dr. Coconut:
Occasionally you may purchase a coconut at the store and when you open it, you find the white meat or even the water has turned a red or pinkish color. At other times, this discoloration may develop after the coconut has been opened and has been sitting around for a time. This discoloration is more likely to happen the longer you keep the coconut and especially if it is not refrigerated.
At first thought you might think that it is mold or bacteria, but it is not. It is a natural chemical process caused by the oxidation of sugars in the coconut. When these sugars are exposed to oxygen they turn pink. Oxygen, temperature, duration of exposure, age, and sugar content of the coconut all play a part in this oxidation process. This is why some coconuts will turn color and others will not. Similar processes occur in other fruits as well. For example, when you slice an apple and leave it uncovered, the apple will turn brown. This is caused by oxidation.
If you put ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or lemon juice (which also contains vitamin C) on the apple it prevents it from turning brown. The same thing happens with coconut. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant blocking the oxidation process.
In apples, as well as coconuts, this oxidation process is not harmful. You can eat a “browned” slice of apple without harm. Likewise, you can eat pink coconut without harm. I’ve done it and I’m still alive to tell about it. I know others who have eaten it without harm as well. Like with apples, the color does not affect the taste. If you don’t like the idea of eating pink coconut, then don’t, but it won’t hurt you.
http://www.coconutresearchcenter.com/hwnl_5-2.htm
None of ours showed any hint of discoloration until we started the dehydrating process. However, Deb, in all her ‘data /researching GREEN-NESS” is going to do an experiment using Vitamin C and will let us know the results, to include:
Will rinsing or soaking in vitamin C prior to dehydration:
- Prevent the discoloration during dehydration
- Affect the flavor of creating milk
- Affect the flavor and/or texture of making Coconut Cream.
Stay tuned for the results…. in the meantime….. eat up… it does not affect the taste. 
Til the next time…
You’re never too young or too old … So ……
Live Every Moment,
Love Beyond Words,
Laugh Everyday,
~Jennifer