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.
Nata de Coco is highly regarded for its high dietary fiber, 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. Commercial Nata de Coco is made by small farms in the Philippines.
The primarily coconut water dessert is produced through a series of steps from:
1. Extraction of coconut water
2. Fermentation of the coconut water with bacterial cultures3. Separating and cutting the produced mat of nata de coco
4. Cleaning and washing the acetic acid out of the nata de coco
5. Cutting to packaging
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.
