I rarely buy young coconuts and recently haven't had much luck with picking a good one. The one I got the other day- the water tasted off and there was absolutely no meat in it nothing so of course I tossed it. Is there anything I should look for when picking young coconuts as to ensure they are not moldy, rancid,etc? Thanks.

id like to know too .. for some reason i cracked open 3 the other day and they were all bad ... when i turned over the last one it actually had blue mold on the bottom so i took them all back for store credit .. but i was kinda annoyed !

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

SOMEONE PLEASE KNOW THE ANSWER! hahah

irena,

My local grocer started stocking young Thai coconuts from "Melissa's" a couple of months back. I found that it's a good idea to ask the stockperson when they are getting a shipment, and then come by that day and pick up a few, taking note of how many are left when I leave. If a few days later, those coconuts are still there, and are taking on a slightly pink hue in the white pith, I assume that they are about to turn and just back away. I haven't had a turned one yet using this method, but, and this is a big BUT, the last one I bought smelled very strongly of a chemical similar to what a new mattress has. You know, like flame retardant? I was very alarmed, so I did some digging, and sure enough, it turns out most young coconuts from Asia are dipped, like sheep are, in fungicide because they are sooooo perishable. It is not possible to wash it off, as the white pith becomes saturated. It is also possible, according to Dr. Doug Graham, that because the pod inside is immature, for the fungicide to penetrate into the shell. The fact that the fungicide is getting on my knife as I slice off the top of the pith in preparation for breaking the shell is enough to prevent me from buying any more coconuts until I can find a safer kind. I'd rather drink fermented coconut water than formeldahyde.

I can get organic ones, but the ones I've had so far haven't had a lot of meat.

Is it possible to buy young coconut meat frozen? I know it may not be raw anymore, but I would only use it for gourmet recipes here and there.

well I just opened up the second one that I picked up from the asian market the other day and it was delicious the water was so sweet and went so nicely with my strawberries I had for dessert, this one actually had meat in it although not a lot but it was good consistency (gelatinous). Comparing the two coconuts (one was bad, one not) I think that the bad one felt softer when pressed and also upon closer inspection I found a dark spot on the bottom (like it was penetrating from the inside-several layers within the shell) which I suspect was mold. So maybe the bad one did not have the required fungi killer dosage of formaldehyde (yikes!!!).

Tamukha,

I agree with you - just the thought of formaldehyde possibly getting into the water and meat as I was butchering the thing gave me an uneasy feeling and than I don't even want to think of the possibility of the fungicide penetrating the inside of the coconut.

I wonder what is worse though, having moldy fungusy young coconuts and not having the nutrients they provide, and hence, going back to cooked foods because of ravenous cravings, or just hoping the body knows how to deal with the fungucide?


Me (30), Joseph (24 mo.) Jeremiah (4 mo.)

We are enjoying spring and being outside!!!

angie1

I don't think the body knows how to deal with the fungicide--that's why everyone in this country is allergic to peanuts. It's not the aflatoxin,necessarily, but the fungicides that drive your immune system crazy. Lots of people all over the world do fine without coconuts. If I lived in the tropics, I'd have coconuts fairly often, or if I could find a source that's safe here. It sucks, but there it is . . .