Valorization of virgin coconut oil processing wastes: initial sensory insights on pretreatment effects on aroma of coconut skim milk

Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is considered globally as a premium, versatile, and natural product, demand of which will continue to grow. This expected market growth will be accompanied by a rise in VCO processing wastes such as coconut skim milk. Coconut skim milk (CSM) was reported to contain substantial amounts of proteins which makes it a sustainable and cheap ingredient in plant-based milk alternatives. Due to its susceptibility to rapid spoilage, CSM is often discarded, thus pretreatment is necessary. This study presents initial findings on the possible effects of pasteurization on the temporal evolution of aroma attributes of CSM over one month of storage (i.e., 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days). Samples pasteurized at 63 °C for 30 min were compared with untreated CSM. Aroma was assessed by four untrained panelists using a 5-point intensity scale for key attributes (i.e. acid and nutty) and median scores were recorded. Both untreated and pasteurized CSM samples appeared to maintain none to slight acidic aroma and slight to moderate nutty aroma, suggesting limited development of spoilage-related sensory notes. Interestingly, a durian-like aroma was generally perceived and tended to be stronger in untreated CSM samples, suggesting that pasteurization may have attenuated some odor-active compounds while potentially preserving desirable sensory characteristics. These observations are preliminary, but suggest that mild pasteurization could contribute to maintaining sensory quality of CSM, supporting its potential use in sustainable plant-based products, reducing food waste, and contributing to circular food systems. Further validation with a larger trained panel is recommended.