OPTIMIZATION OF DRYING PARAMETERS FOR DESICCATED COCONUT POWDER USING CENTRAL COMPOSITE DESIGN

Desiccated Coconut (DC) is a product rich in fat, protein, carbohydrates and fiber. It is widely used as an additive for the snack industry. As a potential food additive product, every process needs to be considered to produce a good quality DC. The effort to maintain the quality of DC is to optimize the main process of making DC, namely the drying process. In several studies, the drying condition of DC was carried out differently, that is why an optimization process on DC drying is needed. This study aims to determine the temperature and drying time combination that produces DC with the optimum moisture content, fat content, and yield. The drying process used a food dehydrator with a temperature combination of 50°C to 70°C and a time of 2 to 4 hours. The research method used was a laboratory experimental method with Response Surface Methodology (RSM) optimization using Central Composite Design (CCD). It was presented that the optimum drying conditions given by RSM were obtained by drying at 70°C for 2 hours. The results obtained from the validation of a water content of 1.279% wet basis (wb), a fat content of 64.855% wb, and a yield of 42.363%, were following CODEX STAN 177-1991. Based on this study, it can be concluded that the combination of temperature and drying time affects moisture content, fat content, and DC yield.