The Philippine Coconut Authority recently launched a food safety campaign to complement government efforts to strengthen food safety control systems of coconut products in compliance with new and more effective international standards.

The campaign seeks to reduce levels of aflatoxin and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, known to cause cancer, in copra and in crude coconut oil, respectively.

PCA, lead agency in the campaign, said the multi-sectoral effort brings together coconut farmers, millers, traders, officials from the government agencies and from the European Commission.

The launching was simultaneously held in the cities of Zamboanga, Davao, Lucena, Catarman, and Calbayog, the country's major coconut producers.

PCA Administrator Oscar Garin said the food safety campaign reinforces their agency's advocacy to help coconut farmers improve the quality of copra.

Under the EU-funded Trade Related Technical Assistance, the PCA has awarded 15 two-burner kukum dryers to 15 coconut farmers-cooperatives to assist the farmers in shifting from drying their copra under the sun or in direct smoke-dryers. A kukum dryer is designed to send off heat unto the coconut meal without the dirt from the road if it is by the sun-drying or without the smoke if drying by the kiln.

PCA said 550 coconut farmers have been trained in proper copra drying using the kukum dryers and in moisture reading, while 240 coconut-based food processors have also received training on food safety handling, Good Manufacturing Practices and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point.

Copra produces crude coconut oil and copra cake as residue which are major export commodities of the Philippines.

EU imports averaged 447,504 tons of coconut oil annually for the last 10 years, mostly from the Philippines, but this has decreased due to increasing demand for safe food. Coconut oil comprises 4.18 percent of the world's production of all vegetable oils. The oil is also used in the manufacture of non-food products such as soaps, detergents and cosmetic products.

Copra cake is a principal ingredient in the manufacture of livestock feed.

In the Philippines, about 3.5 million households directly dependent on coconut farming.*NLG

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