Ka Tam-is: Acceptability and Opportunities of Coco Sugar in Tagkawayan, Quezon

• Main Authors: Fernandez, Trisha Mae M., Camacho, Baby Joy E., Sanchez, Princess Lyra D., Sta. Ana, Franklin A., Ramos, Eric C.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2022
• Subjects: coco sap; coco sugar; coco sugar makers; Cocos Nucifera; "mangangaret"
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2022/paper_fnh/5; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1035&context=conf_shsrescon
• Institution: De La Salle University

Coconut Cocos nucifera is one of the Philippines' most important crops and exports. One of the products produced from coconut is the coco sugar. When Tagkawayan Vendors Multi-Purpose Cooperative (TVMPC) was given a coco sugar processing plant, they began producing coco sugar.. Coco sugar is extracted from the natural sap of coconut palm. The sap is dried and packed without further processing. In liquid form, it is also known as coconut palm sugar or coconut palm sap. This study aims to measure the acceptability of coco sugar in terms of appearance, aroma, taste, sweetness, and texture. The study used a mixed-method of quantitative and qualitative approaches to discover and describe coco sugar's acceptability and opportunities. Interviews and surveys were utilized. Purposive sampling was used to collect information from the informants whereas convenience sampling was used to assess the acceptability of the product. The overall acceptability of coco sugar has a weighted mean of 8.38 and a descriptive analysis of like very much. It is nearly identical to conventional table sugar in terms of taste, texture, sweetness, appearance, and aroma. Moreover, coco sugar can be used as an alternative to table sugar. It has a high level of consumer interest, indicating that demand is increasing. Coco sugar has great opportunities that prove to increase the coconut farmers’ income, create employment, and sustain the coconut industry as a major source of income.