Nata de coco
Nata de coco is a chewy, translucent, jelly-like food product produced by the fermentation of coconut water, which gels through the production of microbial cellulose by Acetobacter xylinus. Nata de coco is most commonly sweetened as a candy or dessert, and can accompany many things including pickles, drinks, ice cream, puddings and fruit mixes. The product originates from the Philippines.
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[edit] Etymology
Nata de coco comes from Spanish "cream of coconut". Cream in this sense means the fat from the coconut milk. The Spanish name is a result of Spain's colonization of the Philippines.
[edit] Nutrition
Nata de coco is highly regarded for its high dietary fibre, and its low fat and cholesterol content.
Strips of nata de coco are used in mass-produced bubble tea drinks as a healthier alternative to tapioca.[1]
[edit] Production
The primarily coconut water dessert is produced through a series of steps from:
- Extraction of coconut water
- Fermentation of the coconut water with bacterial cultures
- Separating and cutting the produced mat of nata de coco
- Cleaning and washing the acetic acid out of the nata de coco
- Cutting to packaging
Commercial nata de coco is made by small farms in the Philippines and Indonesia, especially in Jogjakarta province.
