PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF COCONUT OIL

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Coconut is called "Cocos nucifera" the wonderful tree". It is the tree of the tropics, it originated from the south west pacific in Malaysian and was introduced to Madagascar in East Africa (Maincad, 1995). It has recently been suggested that the coconut was domesticated in the region between South-West Asia and Malaysia. Coconut (The tree of life) for thousands of years has been used as cooking oil and as diets for many people living in tropical areas. It is used in medicine and in the treatment of many skin conditions such as wounds, bums, ulcers, lice -infections, conditions such as dissolution of kidney stones and treatment of dysenteries (Maincad, 1995). South Asia look at coconut as an important provider of food, drink, fuel and even use in industries.