Potential of crude protease from Mengkudu (Morinda citrifolia) fruit on extraction of Virgin Coconut Oil

Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) play a unique role for dietary supplements and crucial functional food. VCO can be obtained by different kind of processes such as fermentation, enzymatic process, centrifugation or freeze drying. This aimed of this study was to compare the possibility of using different concentration of crude protease enzyme from Mengkudu (Morinda citrifolia) fruit on extraction of Virgin Coconut Oil. Isolation of Crude protease by centrifugation method was conducted at 10.000 rpm in phosphate buffer solution at pH 7 and the enzymatic activity was determined by Bergmeyer Method. Additionally, the fatty acid composition was analyzed using GC-MS (Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrocopy). The most significant concentration of crude protease to extract VCO was 0.12% (w/v) which showed high yield of VCO (21.15%) and the VCO contain medium chain of fatty acid (MCFA) especially lauric acid (41.07%), followed by myristic acid (23.24%). Even though, there are no significant method to obtain maximum quantity of VCO, this enzymatic process using 0.12% (w/v) crude protease of mengkudu fruit is reliable to fulfill the standard of Asian and Pacific Coconut Community.