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Answers: Just need to know if the canned coconut milk on store shelves is commonly cooked or pasturized before being canned or as a part of the canning process. I can't find any references on the cans or online to indicate whether or not the milk is in its raw form.

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They are all coorect, I am a former chef and worked in both Singapore and Jamaica, canned coco nut milk is not cooked at it separates in the tin, the fat to the top and the milk to the bottom, it does not need to be pasturized as one other person said as it has no real bacterial causing propertys like a dairy product.

It is sterilized for the purpose of preservation but not more than 110 d f to steam sterilize the tin, I happen to buy in the Asian part of Toronto Canada were I live an actual powdered coconut milk, they even have a light version now.

I use the top layer of fat to saute the bases of the currys I make, then add the liquid to the rest later, I also make dessert with it it is nice for rice pudding, in custards and other sweet dishes.

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dont know

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I doubt it's cooked.

And only animal's milk needs to be pasteurized so that us humans can consume it without getting sick. That's unnecessary with coconuts.

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It doesn't need to be, really. Coconut milk is sterile. So sterile in fact, you can stick some straight into your bloodstream with if you're in a dire situation and to keep from dying of dehydration.

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Anything that is canned is exposed to enough heat to kill the naturally occuring bacteria. It is probably not given the kind of treatment that cow milk is, but it is certainly treated with heat before going in the can. Otherwise it would spoil.

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If it was it would say so I am sure.

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All canning involves heating to kill microbes. However, there is no special extra pasteurization for coconut milk. It's not like cow's milk. It's just a plant food, like canned vegetables or fruits.

Rigo,

It's the coconut water that can be used as a plasma substitute. Coconut milk includes the fat/protein of the coconut flesh which wouldn't go too well in the blood :-)

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It isn't pasturized or cooked, but you can make it yourself.

Coconut milk is not the liquid inside a coconut, although this liquid does make a satisfying drink. Rather, coconut milk is made by squeezing the grated flesh of a coconut with some hot water resulting in a rich white liquid that looks very much like cow's milk.

Coconut milk should be distinguished from coconut cream. Fresh coconut milk, when refrigerated, and canned coconut milk, if not shaken, separates into two layers, with the thick (upper) layer being the coconut cream and the thinner (bottom) layer constituting the milk. The top layer can be skimmed off with a spoon and used for recipes requiring coconut cream (usually desserts) with the bottom layer being reserved for recipes specifying coconut milk.

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The canning process involves heat so yes, the milk is processed and cooked.

If you want to make your own coconut milk from home I got a SPECTACULAR site for you...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ea/...

Coconut Milk and Cream
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007
Show: Good Eats
Episode: Coconut Cake Revival

1 coconut, see Cook's Note
For the milk:
2 ounces freshly grated coconut, approximately 1/2 cup
1/2 cup boiling 2 percent milk

For cream:
4 ounces freshly grated coconut, approximately 1 cup
1/2 cup boiling 2 percent milk

Cook's Note:
To open a coconut:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the coconut onto a folded towel set down in a large bowl. Find the 3 eyes on 1 end of the coconut and using a nail or screwdriver and hammer or meat mallet, hammer holes into 2 of the eyes.

Turn the coconut upside down over a container and drain the water from the coconut. Store the water in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Place the coconut onto a 1/2 sheet pan and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. The coconut should have cracked in several places. Using an oyster knife or other dull blade, separate the hard shell from the brown husk. Using a serrated vegetable peeler, peel the brown husk from the coconut meat.

Rinse the coconut meat under cool water and pat dry. Break the meat into 2 to 3-inch pieces. With the grater disk attached to a food processor, grate the coconut.

For the milk:
Place 2 ounces of the coconut into a small mixing bowl and pour over the boiling milk. Stir to combine.

Cover tightly and allow to sit for 1 hour. Transfer the mixture to the carafe of a blender and process for 1 minute.

Place a tea towel over a mixing bowl and carefully pour the mixture into it. Gather up the edges and squeeze until all of the liquid has been removed. Discard the coconut.

You may use the milk immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

For the cream:
Repeat the same procedure as above only using 4 ounces of freshly grated coconut.

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Yes...kind of. All "Canning" is a cooked process.
It is not raw.

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