Why is your coconut oil yellow in colour? It is not clear white, so it’s not pure?

Many people say this based on their experience and perception of coconut oil. They are not to be blamed—traditionally, oil from good quality copra is white, while that from lower-quality copra tends to be yellow. However, Cocoguru coconut oil appears yellow not due to poor-quality copra but because of a different, superior extraction process. As oil extraction technology evolves and packaged coconut oil becomes more popular, colour differences can occur. While clear, white oil may look better, colour alone doesn’t determine quality. In fact, high-quality coconut oil can be yellow due to the process involved.

Traditional process for white coconut oil:

Copra with 7–8% moisture is crushed in a rotary machine, where relatively low heat is generated through friction. The oil is then left to settle in barrels for at least 7 days, allowing sediment to settle and producing clear, white coconut oil. This is the traditional method still followed in many villages on a small scale.

Problems with this method:

• Copra retains higher moisture, making the oil prone to rancidity.
• Sedimentation takes a minimum of 7 days, delaying production.

Our improved method:

We dry copra to just 3% moisture, extract oil using an expeller, and filter it immediately using a filter press. This results in better aroma and a longer shelf life. However, the oil turns slightly yellow due to:

1. Copra drying using hot air at 80°C.
2. Higher friction and heat during extraction in the expeller.

Roasted coconut oil – Our specialty:

We go one step further by roasting the copra pieces after drying but before oil extraction. This enhances the oil’s aroma and shelf life even more, but it makes the oil appear more yellow. Contrary to popular belief, roasting does not reduce the oil’s nutritional value—it remains excellent for cooking.

The aroma comes naturally from the copra during roasting, without the addition of perfumes. The longer shelf life is a result of thorough moisture removal, not preservatives or chemicals.

To understand the effect of roasting, compare the taste of groundnuts or cashew nuts before and after roasting. Similarly, we cook rice, wheat, and vegetables for better taste and digestibility—we don’t eat them raw.

Respect for traditional views:

We understand and respect that many traditionalists believe white coconut oil is better than yellow. That’s why we also offer cold-pressed coconut oil. But as a brand, we strongly believe roasted coconut oil is superior for cooking—both in flavour and shelf life.