dehydrated coconut

[scott]

I bought a bag of Let's Do Organic shredded coconut. The ingredients list reads shredded and dehydrated coconut. I called customer service at the company and the sweet customer service lady read to me that the coconut is dehydrated with hot air until the moisture content is below 3% and the temperature range is 95 - 100 degrees CELCIUS, not farenheit. I'm glad I didn't open it yet - it's going back.

Scott

[Lay-Lay]

was she sure she didn't read it wrong.

[Spectatrix]

Um, that doesn't sound right... that would be 203-212 degrees Fahrenheit... I'd think the coconut would burn at that temperature.

[madmel]

I think so too!

I dehydrate coconut myself and I have to be careful not to have it dehydrate at too high temperature, otherwise it burns easily.

But the taste: heavenly crunchiness!

mel

[Pailani]

I dehydrate coconut myself and I have to be careful not to have it dehydrate at too high temperature, otherwise it burns easily.

So then, if it's still white it's okay?

I bought some dried shredded unsweetened cocounut at the health food store awhile ago, and I've been afraid to use it - but I don't want to throw them away unless I know for sure it's not raw.

[rawpriestess]

I'd trust the customer service person.

Usually because of cost and time constraints, and mostly because of health rules, dehydrated foods, sold commercially MUST be dehydrated at a temperature to kill all harmful bacteria.

When I dehydrate to make for my raw freinds, I dehydrate at 95 degrees, takes two days to do fruit leather, when I dehydrate for non raw people, I can do it at 145 and it takes about 12 hours, when I do it in a commercial dehydrator at 200+ degrees (looking into buying one of these big boys), takes about 4 hours, BIG difference in time/money/energy.

[scott]

Thanks folks for all of the great replies like usual. When she said Celcius I had her repeat what she read, and when she finished, I said not Farenheit, you're sure. She replied that she's sure. She was very polite BTW. If someone else wants to look into for themselves the distributor's website : www.edwardandsons.com
Customer service comes in at 11:30 EST.

Scott

[Linda1970]

Thanks Scott,

This is a very conflicting info. In previous posts here, I read that someone had written that it was raw. I also called the company and was told that it was dehydrated below 110, but I didn't specify C or F since I just assumed that it was F.

I think a lot of people use that brand (I recall from posts I see here), including myself.

[Linda1970]

btw, their coconut is the best I've tasted. I sure hope it's F not C.

[scott]

Linda1970,
I hope you prove me wrong. I was looking forward to trying some. Let me know.

Thanks,
Scott

[denisedeland]

Yes please let us know...

Denise

[exurb]

doesn't Alissa still sell truly raw coconut or am I hallucinating. :confused: If so, there's a good source!

Raw Priestess made a really good point - I know the same thing, when I dry tomatoes below the critical temp, it takes forever, so with general commercial dried stuff, I can't imagine them going through all that, it would be logical for me to assume that most stuff you get through normal commercial channels is dried above critical temp, unless it happens to be something that's normally processed in a way that it is just air/sun dried (say dates for example), or something marketed to raw types.

QUESTION: Does anyone know what creamed coconut is, and how it's processed? I saw it in the store, it was imported, so I couldn't be bothered to try to contact the distributor/manufacturer. The only ingredient was coconut, no additives, etc., and it was sold in a block. Maybe there's a chance that it is actually raw(?) since it's not dried, I assumed not raw, but if it is raw, wouldn't that be nice. Probably tastes darn good too, and no wrangling of the coconuts!

[Linda1970]

Linda1970,
I hope you prove me wrong. I was looking forward to trying some. Let me know.

Thanks,
Scott

Humm, this is very strange. I e-mailed the company and they wrote me back: "Our shredded coconut & coconut flakes are dried with hot air at a temperature range of 95-100º Celsius until the moisture level is less than 3% (considered "live" food). If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact us."

I then wrote back and asked if she meant Farenheit and not Celsius, since if it's Celsius, it would not be considered 'live'. It has been over a month and she hasn't replied. :confused:

[Linda1970]

QUESTION: Does anyone know what creamed coconut is, and how it's processed? I saw it in the store, it was imported, so I couldn't be bothered to try to contact the distributor/manufacturer. The only ingredient was coconut, no additives, etc., and it was sold in a block. Maybe there's a chance that it is actually raw(?) since it's not dried, I assumed not raw, but if it is raw, wouldn't that be nice. Probably tastes darn good too, and no wrangling of the coconuts!

I think this is grounded dried coconuts. It can be raw if it's grounded at low temperature. Grounded dried coconuts is actually my favorite food. It has combatted every kind of craving I have, any time, for the last 1 year. Before raw, I got mine from Tropical Traditions, http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/coconut_cream_concentrate.htm

After I became raw, I got mine from Wilderness Family http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/coconut_spread.htm

They both taste equally delicious. Now that I ran out of them, I'm not too sure which one to get because of fear of salmonellae http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/raw_dried_coconut.htm

[AICgem]

this stuff is to die for!!
https://www.premierorganics.org/
much better than tropical traditions stuff!