EDITED: January 26, 2015
Although the information below is still correct as of the date it was written, I am forced to change my recommendation and rating for this product. There are three main reasons for this change:
1.) The manufacturer has given up trying to maintain the high fat level in their product and has now resorted to changing their Nutrition Facts label. From reports from many Amazon customers, their quality remains wildly inconsistent. Keep in mind the fat IS the coconut milk. The liquid is water. Plus a little guar gum. If the fat to juar gum ratio is low enough, the can contents will stay emulsified after shaking and leaving at room temperature.
To test a can, put it in the refrigerator for 2 - 3 hours. Open the can, make a hole through the fat with a dinner knife, and pour the water into a measuring cup. Make cuts in the fat to be sure no pockets of water are trapped in the can. Subtract the measured amount from the 13.5 oz can size. Divide result by 13.5 to get the percent fat. If your label says 15g of fat for an 80ml serving, that would be approximately 15/80 or 19% fat. It is actually a little more than that by volume because the fat is less dense than water.
I have seen them sell cans with as much as 60% coconut milk (butter, fat) and as little as 10%. Meanwhile, their price keeps rising.
2.) There are continued reports of badly dented cans in spite of the fact that boxes are in pristine condition. This indicates gross mishandling by the manufacturer which, after 3 years of such reports, should have been corrected if they care at all about their product quality. If you can't trust them not to drop the cans, can you trust what they put inside?
3.) Amazon has pulled this product from distribution for the second time in as many years because of the inconsistency and damaged cans reports.
If you want to take your chances there is still a third-party seller for this product. It seems a lot of buyers are still quite pleased. Maybe there's a seller based in Las Vegas.
[ORIGINAL REVIEW and UPDATES]
Topics in this Review/Summary:
PRICE
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
RELATED PLUG
OTHER ISSUES:
....BPA IN CAN LINING
....WHITE CAN LINING
....GUAR GUM
....DENTED CANS
....APPEARANCE AND STORAGE OF COCONUT MILK or CREAM
Native Forest Organic Classic Coconut Milk, 13.5-Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)
PRICE
Yes, at $39.48 on 10/21/13, based on Prime pricing, it's up 43% in 21 months, but this is most likely supply & demand. It is an excellent product from a responsive company. It has been improved -- no Sri Lanka, no BPA (expensive testing), and (in my observation) higher fat content. BESIDES all that, the price would drop if you people wouldn't give it such great ratings/reviews and just keep it a secret.
...... 12/8/2013 UPDATE: Current Price $29.88, so it dropped $9.40 in 7 weeks.
...... That is basically same price I paid on March 24, 2012 and on June 16, 2013.
...... Lowest I've paid was $22 December 28, 2012. LESSON to be learned here --
...... watch the price and buy low if you're a habitual user like me. I'll check
...... when it arrives, and if anything has changed, I'll update this again.
...... I'm still wondering why I keep extolling the virtues of this product.
...... If demand goes up, so will the price.
......
...... 1/6/2014 UPDATE: Received latest case on Dec 9, 2013.
...... No dented cans. No BPA. From Thailand.
...... Waited until I got into 2nd can to report. It's the best I've ever had.
...... Over 2/3 content and the fat is white as snow. Taste is wonderful,
...... meaning almost no taste at all in the fat -- just a little sweet with a
...... slight coconut hint. I refrigerate it (see more on that below), so I
...... just spoon out the fat I need, then pour out some water. Mix-in solids
...... first if not using a blender or heating. The remainder goes in a pint
...... jar, sealed tight. I label the date. The first can was still good on
...... the 17th day. I normally do not try and keep it over 2 weeks after
...... opening. Use only clean spoons, don't let anything get into it, and
...... don't leave the cap off or keep it out of the 'fridge any longer than
...... you have to. If it's nearing the end of the 2 weeks, look near the end
...... of this review for the signs it might be turning to the Dark Side.
......
...... 6/23/2014 UPDATE: PRICE ANALYSIS
......
...... FIRST -- HOW MUCH FAT IN THE CAN?
...... After seeing usual first-quarter seasonal price jump, I was dismayed to
...... see many reports that fat content was way down. I actually cancelled
...... my order and will wait until fall. If the Edwards and Sons canneries
...... in Thailand are shorting the cans because coconuts are in short supply,
...... I hope some customers complained. I would not accept any product that
...... didn't match its label.
...... The labels show grams of 10 fat per serving, "about" 7 servings per
...... container. I just have to take that "about" as meaning between 6.5
...... and 7.5, giving a +/- 7% tolerance to these estimates.
...... So, 70g of fat per can, give or take 7%.
...... That and the price per can is all we need to find $/fat-gram and
...... compare prices between brands. Please let me know if I've missed
...... something here.
...... But, for benefit of looking at that fat layer (in the can, not the
...... waist), we need to convert can contents from milliliters to grams.
...... Per Chempro, the specific gravity of the oil (fat) is 0.917-0.919 @ 25°C.
...... Can holds 398ml. Not wanting to dust off my algebra, lets just make
...... the fat 20% by volume. Then you have 80% at SG of 1 (the water) and
...... 20% at SG of 0.918. Ave. SG = .2(0.918) + .8(1) = 0.9836. This means
...... the contents are slightly lighter than water, so the 398ml can holds
...... 0.9836 * 398 or 391g. You can see that the fat qty is not going to
...... make much difference in the weight (OK, mass) of the can contents.
......
...... The 70g of fat per label divided by 391g of contents means 18% of the
...... can must be fat after refrigerating to separate. The useable can
...... height is 4.14". 4.14 * 0.18 = 0.74 or almost 3/4" of fat.
...... Strange that the cans I bought in Dec. were at least 60% fat and the
...... label was the same. And there were a bunch of people in here
...... complaining about too many coin in their gold bag.
......
...... SECOND -- HOW DOES NATIVE FOREST FAT COMPARE TO OTHER BRANDS?
...... You may have to stretch you screen for this.
......
________________Case___Fat per___# of____Cans/__Tot Fat____$/g of_______Cost
Brand___________Price__Serving__Servings__Case___ /case_______FAT_______ /can
Native Forest___$29.88___10________7_______12_____840_____$0.0356_____$2.49
Natural Value___$38.79___18________4_______12_____864_____$0.0449_____$3.23
Thai Kitchen*___$41.40*__14________5_______12_____840_____$0.0493*____$3.45*
Mae Ploy**_____$ 6.50**_17________7________1**___ 1**____$0.0546_____$6.50
*In store (Harris-Teeter) $3.39/can, equiv. to $40.68/12. Brings $/g to $0.048.
**Sold by the 19oz can. Not organic. Has Sodium metabisulfite preservative.
......
...... At this writing, Native Forest is 26% lass than closest brand, Natural Value.
......
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
In 2011, Edward & Sons Trading Co. was using a Sri Lankan source in Thailand's off-season. The product from Sri Lanka was reported to be less creamy. I've bought cases in 3/12, 7/12, 12/12, & 6/13 per my account records here. Never had any that were not labeled "Thailand." If you look at newer reviews & comments here your will see they are no longer sourcing from Sri Lanka. [See RECENT comments by S. C. Linkens & Amazshopper in 5/13 to the 9/2/11 review "Bait & Switch fraud!'].
RELATED PLUG -- If you like coconut milk, check out Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut OIL. I've done a review there if you want to know more.
Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
OTHER ISSUES:
BPA IN CAN LINING
Per 4/2012 report from mfr of independent testing, there is virtually no (<0.2ppm) BPA in can lining. [See answer from CJ Sitko on September 23, 2013 to question "is the can bpa free."]
WHITE CAN LINING
There's a review here "Something changed again.....Possible BPA" by Lance Kett on October 11, 2013.
See 1st comment by Joel D. on 10/15/13. Per mfr, "This is our new liner that is a titanium dioxide based liner." It goes on from there.
This URL is likely to change, but what I see now is: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3HGCNXMN6A3Q1/ref=cm_cr_pr_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B001HTJ2BQ&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=#wasThisHelpful
...... 2/1/2014 UPDATE: As result of post and comment by Lance Kett questioning why the "BPA-Free" was taken off the can, I wrote to Edwards & Sons Trading Co. again. Here is there answer, dated Jan. 10, 2014:
"Dear Mr. Creech,
"Thank you for your email. We actually never used to put a BPA Free Seal on our can, and we are unlikely to print 'BPA-Free' on cans until the FDA establishes a standard of identity for the 'BPA-Free' statement. To help explain our thinking, let's consider another claim that now appears on some of our packaging: 'Gluten Free'.
"According to Wikipedia: 'The legal definition of the phrase 'gluten-free'varies from country to country. Current research suggests that for persons with celiac disease the maximum safe level of gluten in a finished product is probably less than 0.02% (200 parts per million) and possibly as little as 0.002% (20 parts per million). Australian standards reserve the 'gluten free'label for foods with less than 5 parts per million (5ppm) of gluten, as this is the smallest amount currently detectable'. The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) proposed that gluten must not be found at a minimum detection level of 20 ppm before a food may be designated as 'gluten-free'. FDA presented this proposal for public comment on August 3, 2011.
"So, to recap, FDA is leaning towards USA adoption of the international standard for 'Gluten-Free', which is 20 ppm. Australia has a stricter standard of 5ppm. Edward & Sons' items must test 'negative' for gluten at the 5ppm detection limit before we will make the Gluten Free (GF) claim on packaging of those items.
"However, when it comes to BPA, there is NO USA OR INTERNATIONAL STANDARD FOR THE TERM 'BPA-FREE'. We do not want to confuse or mislead consumers by establishing a standard of our own. We realize that it is impossible to prove the absence of anythng. All we can demonstrate is that the substance in question -- in this case, BPA -- is not detectable at the limits of our analysis. Before we will add a can to our 'No BPA Detected'list, that can has tested negative for BPA to a lower limit of 0.2 parts per million (for our new coconut milk lining it is 0.1 ppb). We admit, that's a pretty small amount. Nevertheless, we think it best to wait for the US FDA or a reputable International regulatory body to specify a standard for the 'BPA-Free' claim before we add that declaration to our cans.
"Best Regards,
Hannah Stonecypher"
(Edward & Sons Trading Co.)
I hope this settles the BPA matter, but it will probably surface again.
GUAR GUM
[revised 11/21/13 to include this] Per mfr, product contains "a tiny amount (less than 1%) of organic guar gum from seeds of the guar plant." That works out to about 3.5 grams per can if the <1% is by weight. Since it's a powder, by volume it would be much less. This is used an emulsifier. (If more than 1% it could be a thickening agent.) Some people with intestinal trouble report problems from guar gum. In larger quantities (and I suspect in dry form, sometimes used for weight loss), it can cause gas, diarrhea, or, in some cases, constipation. Also in larger quantities, it can interfere with the action of the drug Metformin (Glucophage), used to control blood sugar in diabetics. Keep in mind that this guar gum is already diluted. It's already absorbed as much water as it can. It is not going to expand anymore in your gut.
Guar gum has no toxicity. I'm certain that 3.6 grams (if you drank a whole can) will not cause a problem for most people. If you have a sensitivity to guar gum, you'll probably already know it. There's a lot more in ice cream, for instance. A gluten-free Website says "guar gum and xanthan gum are two of the most well-known ingredients in gluten free cooking." One reason I know this Native Forest product contains very little guar gum is that it is not very emulsified. If you break up the fat and shake it up, it will separate again in 24 hrs at room temp.
DENTED CANS
(1) This is shipping damage caused by slack pickers, sorters, handlers, loaders, or delivery drivers. Inspect all pkgs ASAP upon receipt. I you see any damage, go to Your Account to report this and ask for a return authorization. [See reviewer's statements about returns titled "Sri Lanka - UPDATED" by Tyler Fenby on August 23, 2011. As of this writing, it's under "Most Helpful" reviews]
(2) Is the dent so bad that wall may be weakened and thus leak; so sharp that the lining is broken and the product is exposed to the bare metal; or so distorted that it will be hard to open?
If no to all above, there is only one problem IMHO*. That is if the contents spoil, the internal pressure might not pop out the ends. Now how many people even know that is why the ends of cans have the concentric ridges? For that matter, when's the last time anyone has seen a can with popped-out ends?
APPEARANCE AND STORAGE OF COCONUT MILK or CREAM
I have gone through 3.8 cases, 12 ea, of Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk in the last 21 mo. That's 4.8 gal. Yum. Before I discovered this at Amazon, I bought it off the shelf where I could find it and paid more for less quality. I figure 10 gallons of the stuff over 4 years. In that period, for whatever reason, my LDL (bad) cholesterol has gone down & HDL & triglycerides are up.
What I have found is that the fat content varies some between cases and even between cans to a lesser degree. (BTW, fat is what most people WANT when buying coconut milk or cream.) My current batch is less than half liquid and the rest is pure white cream (fat). I have seen as little as 1/4 fat, so this is an improvement. I would suggest that if you're not seeing at least 25% fat (refrigerate to separate) that you contact Edward & Sons and if they do not satisfy your concerns, contact Amazon. Maybe you could get a refund if it came to that.
Regardless of what you've read, I've found that it keeps longer if refrigerated from when you get it until you consume it. It you want it mixed, break up the fat with a spoon & shake it. If going in a smoothie or other blended recipe, there's no need to break it up. Just get as much fat as you want off the top, then make a hole with the spoon to get the liquid you want.
If your recipe needs it better emulsified, let the amount you're going to use immediately to warm a little and mix again. Do NOT HEAT coconut milk/cream unless cooking with it. It will break down and not keep as long. Heating most food also breaks down nutrients. Keep in mind this is an organic product with no preservatives. After opening a can, transfer any unused amount immediately to a clean pint jar with a tight-fitting lid, label with the date, and return to 'fridge. I have found it will last 2-3 weeks like this.
It's very easy to tell when it is starting to "turn" . . .
-- by sight: Grayish tint swirled or layered in liquid and more stages of separation than just liquid & fat,
-- by smell: slightly fermented odor,
-- and by taste: too "coconutty".
My last (12/12) case before this one would keep 3 weeks in plastic container after opening. When I noticed the current batch (6/13) was keeping only 10 days or so, I moved remaining cans to 'fridge and started using the glass jar. The last 8 cans stored like this have lasted 2 - 3 weeks (maybe would be longer as I've not had any go past about 16 days before consuming).
(*Re: bent cans) This is what I learned years ago when in the grocery business while in college. That was before any cans were lined except for varnish that was probably worse than BPA or galvanizing (zinc) when contents were acid, e.g. tomatoes. Pineapple still comes in zinc-plated cans. Of course, real "tin" cans were either made of tin or an alloy of tin or tin-plated steel. Now they're all steel or the more expensive aluminum. I suspect this is because steel with a coating is cheaper than tin plating. Early cans had tin/lead solder on the seams. This is what caused so many stupid radio talk show hosts.
| 80.0 servings per container | |
| Serving size | 1/3 cup |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 140 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| % Daily Value* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
