CLASSIFICATION OF COPRA MEAL AND COPRA EXPELLERS BASED ON ETHER EXTRACT CONCENTRATION AND PREDICTION OF ENERGY CONCENTRATIONS IN COPRA BYPRODUCTS

The objectives were to develop a classification standard for copra meal (CM) and copra expellers (CE) based on ether extract (EE) concentration and to develop prediction equations for EE and gross energy (GE) concentrations in copra byproducts. Data from 520 copra byproduct samples were used. Linear broken-line and quadratic models indicated breakpoints of 6.40 and 6.22% EE concentration to effectively distinguish the two copra byproducts, respectively. The EE was negatively correlated with moisture (r = -0.611, P < 0.001) and positively correlated with GE and organic matter (OM; r > 0.56, P < 0.001). The GE concentration in the copra byproducts showed a positive correlation with OM (r = 0.524, P < 0.001). The most suitable and simple prediction equations where the components were expressed in % (as-is basis) were EE = -77.0 + 0.976 × OM with R2 = 0.439; GE, kcal/kg = 3,921 + 52.2 × EE with R2 = 0.324. In conclusion, CM and CE can be distinguished by EE of 6.31%. Organic matter can be used to estimate EE and GE in copra byproducts.