The water holding and retention capacities were increased from 5.56 to 7.11 g/g and 3.22 to 5.33 g/g, respectively as the particle size was decreased from 1127 to 550 lm. The increase in particle size beyond 550 lm resulted in a decrease in water holding and retention capacities up to 4.42 and 3.67 g/g, respectively. The increase in water holding and retention capacity could be attributed to a better water accessibility of the surface capillaries and increase in the surface area due to grinding. The water holding capacity for coconut residue was found to be comparable with sugar beet fiber and citrus fiber, whereas water retention capacity was of similar magnitude to that of the pea hull and wheat