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Production of Nata de Coco - a Natural Dietary Fibre Product from Mature Coconut Water
using Gluconacetobacter xylinum (sju-1)

Article · January 2015

DOI: 10.5958/2277-9396.2016.00006.4

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 Intl. J. Food. Ferment. Technol. 5(2): 231-235, December, 2015

©2014 New Delhi Publishers. All rights reserved

DOI Number: 10.5958/2277-9396.2016.00006.4

Research Paper

Production of Nata de Coco - a Natural Dietary Fibre Product

from Mature Coconut Water using Gluconacetobacter xylinum
(sju-1)
G. Gayathry
Assistant Professor, Agricultural Microbiology, AC & RI, (TNAU) Kudumiyanmalai, Pudukkottai – 622 104 , Tamilnadu,
India
Corresponding author: gayasarotnau@gmail.com
Paper No.: 102 Received: 07 Jan 2015 Accepted: 12 Dec 2015 Published:

Abstract
Nata de coco is a natural dietary fibre food product obtained by static fermentation of any sugar rich substrate using
Gluconacetobacter xylinum. Nata producing microorganism has been isolated from sugarcane juice and was used to produce
nata. The yield of nata was about 250 gL-1 in coconut water medium. G. xylinum (sju-1) produced more quantity of nata
with thickness accounting to 13 mm and 15 mm in HS medium and mature coconut water medium, respectively. The
water holding capacity, hardness and crude fibre content of nata produced from coconut water medium were found to be
87.14%, 41 N and 11.25g respectively. The developed nata was formulated successfully in sugar syrup base using natural
colorant obtained from beet root pigment. It could be concluded that the mature coconut water can very well be exploited
for the development of nata-a value added fibre food, using G. xylinum (sju-1).
Keywords: Nata de coco, static fermentation, Gluconacetobacter xylinum, coconut water medium, value added fibre food

A large amount of mature coconut water is weight. The water trapped in the cellulose matrix is
discarded during the course of coconut processing. highly useful for its application in food industry as
Value addition of this nutritious liquid waste for a jelly like food. It has a distinct textural properties
the production of nata by static fermentation is like a firm chewy, soft and smooth surface and is
considered beneficial not only for reducing pollution rich in fibre. Apart from nata, many potentially high
problem but also producing a natural dietary fibre. value markets exist for thin film bacterial cellulose,
Bacterial cellulose produced by Gluconacetobacter including acoustic diaphragms, artificial skin, pulp
xylinum (formerly Acetobacter xylinum) at the air- and paper industry artificial blood vessels, liquid
liquid interface of coconut water is popularly known loaded medical pads, super-sorbers and specialty
as nata-de-coco. Nata derived from Latin word natare membranes. The production of nata is receiving
which means "to float" from fermenting coconut a great attention because of its wide application
water or fermenting rotting fruits. Nata can grow in possibilities (Keshk and Sameshima, 2006).
coconut milk, an abundant domestic waste product
Nata is relatively expensive to produce and as such
or in a nutrient medium. It is a white, gelatinous food
is unlikely to replace traditional sources of cellulose.
product popular in Philippines, Japan and Malaysia
Medium costs limit commercial use of nata. So use
(Kongruang, 2008). Being microbial cellulose, it is
of alternative substrates is one way to reduce the
highly hydrophilic, holding water over 100 times its
cost of producing nata. Coconut water is a tasty and
 Gayathry

refreshing drink, very popular in Brazil and other Static Fermentation

tropical countries. It consists primarily of sugars,
The sterilised substrate was then, inoculated with
minerals, protein nitrogen and vitamins but is
starter of G. xylinum containing 2.0x107 cell/ ml
slightly acidic, with pH around 5.5, transparent, non-
under aseptic condition. Then, the entire set up was
sticky and slightly sweet taste. These features make
incubated at static condition in an incubator at 30oC
the coconut water an excellent substrate for microbial
for 14 days. Similarly, the culture was inoculated into
growth.
the HS medium to compare the production efficiency.
Hence a study was undertaken at the Department of
Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural Harvesting
University (TNAU), Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India The nata de coco produced was harvested by filtration
to develop nata from mature coconut water using and it was washed well in a running tap water to
G. xylinum and the results are discussed in this eliminate the sour taste, and then, cut into small
communication. cubes for further processing to make nata in a syrup
base.
Materials and Methods
Preparation of syrup based nata de coco
Microorganism and culture conditions
The nata cubes were boiled for 15 min to remove the
Strain of G. xylinum was isolated from sugarcane
acid flavour completely and to kill the bacteria, if any.
juice in the Department of Agricultural Microbiology,
The water was drained completely from the cubes
TNAU, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India. The organism
and soaked in sugar syrup at 72oBrix. Then, to it dark
was grown and maintained on nutrient agar and
red colour pigment was added which was obtained
stored at 4oC. G. xylinum cells were grown in
from beet root extract developed from post-harvest
nutrient broth for 24 h at 30oC and were harvested
technology centre, TNAU, Coimbatore and boiled
by centrifugation. The sedimented cells were washed
for 5 min. It was then cooled and vanilla flavour
three times in a 0.1% peptone solution, resuspended
was added to it. The product was then stored in a
to the desired count and used immediately in the
sterilised containers at room temperature.
experiments.
Physical and biochemical characteristics of nata de
Substrate Preparation
coco
Mature coconut water was collected in a cleaned Physical and biochemical characteristics such
containers from university hostel and canteen. It as wet weight, moisture, pH, thickness, texture
was filtered using a muslin cloth. Then, to 1.0 L (hardness), water holding capacity (WHC), crude
of coconut water 10 g of sucrose and 5 g of yeast fibre, potassium, sodium and iron content were
extract was added and sterilised for 20 min at 20 psi analysed. The fresh nata formed was lifted and after
several washing, the excess water was dripped-
in an autoclave, cooled and placed in container (21
off completely and weighed for measuring the wet
× 27 × 8 cm) and then, covered with clean paper. weight (g). The moisture content (%) was determined
pH value was adjusted to 5.5 with the addition of based on the weight loss of the cut cubes when
acetic acid. Hestrin Schramn (HS) medium which dried under vacuum for 8 h at 25 bar pressure at
is routinely used for the cultivation of G. xylinum 75oC. A known quantity of nata was homogenised
was prepared and sterilised as prescribed (Hestrin using a homogenizer at 10000 rpm and the pH was
and Schramn, 1954). analyzed using a digital pH meter. The thickness
(mm) was measured using a digital calliper. Nata
after cutting into perfect cubes of equal dimensions

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 Production of Nata de Coco - a Natural Dietary Fibre Product from Mature Coconut Water...

was wrapped in filter paper and centrifuged at Results and Discussion

5000g for 10 min. During centrifugation the water
A thick layer of nata was formed on the surface of the HS
released was absorbed by the filter paper. The per
medium and coconut water medium by G. xylinum (sju-1).
cent ratio of the moisture in the centrifuged nata to
The productivity of nata was about 250 gL-1 when mature
the original moisture content yielded the WHC of
coconut water was used as the substrate, whereas in HS
the nata (Bourne, 2002). The hardness of the nata was
medium it was180 gL-1 (Table 1). The biosynthetic yield is
analysed using a texture analyser (TA-XT2 Stable
comparatively higher in the coconut water substrate than
Microsystem, Surrey, UK). Nata sized 7.5x7.5x1.0 cm
the HS medium.
were used after incubation in a hot oven at 100˚C for 3
h. The instrument was set as follows: 4.0 cm distance The washed, boiled cellulose pellicle obtained from mature
between probe and samples, 1.0 mm/s pretest speed, coconut water medium and diced beet root extract coloured
1.0 mm/s test speed, and 10.0 mm/s post test speed. nata is depicted in Fig. 1 and 2. G. xylinum (sju-1) produced
The compression test was run at a rate of 20 times more quantity of nata with thickness accounting to 13
per sample. The compression force was recorded mm and 15 mm in HS medium and mature coconut water
as prescribed by Bielecki et al. (2005). Crude fibre, medium, respectively. Earlier reports of nata production
potassium, sodium and iron were analyzed (AOAC by G. xylinum NCIM 2526 using tender coconut water was
2002). found to produce 9.5mm thickness of nata (Jagannath et
al. 2008). Glucose, sucrose, fructose are the most preferred
carbon sources for nata production. Since coconut water is
rich in all of these sugars, major and minor nutrients have
greatly influenced the production of nata.
The moisture content of the nata produced was 92.27%
and 92.90% in HS and mature coconut water medium.
pH of the fermenting medium decreased in both the HS
and coconut water medium. Coban and Biyik (2011) has
indicated that nata and acid production are negatively
correlated. If gluconic acid production is greater the yield
of nata is reduced. The Water Holding Capacity (WHC)
of nata from coconut water medium was 87.14% which
reflects its highly juicy nature in comparison to the nata
Fig. 1. Fresh nata formed from mature coconut water using G. produced from HS medium and mode it highly suitable for
xylinum(sju-1) food purposes, especially in salads (Bielecki et al. 2005)
The hardness of nata was recorded to be 43 N and 41 N
in HS medium and coconut water medium, respectively.
Lynd et al. (2002) have also established that the micro-fibril
cellulose is more delicate, softer and superior than other
types of fibre found in fruits and vegetables. Hermansson
(1986) has proved that bacterial cellulose has got unique
texture and structure when grown in sugary rich medium
and could hold water over hundreds of times of its weight.

Fig. 2. Diced, beet root extract coloured nata

233
 Gayathry

Table 1. Physicochemical Characteristics of nata de coco food supplement used to control serum triglycerides
in hyperlipidimic patients.
Physicochemical HS Mature coconut water
characteristics medium medium Conclusion
Wet weight of 180.00 250.00
cellulose(g/L) Nata de coco prepared using mature coconut water
±0.82 ±0.21
could serve as a healthy dietary fibre food. It can be
Moisture (%) 92.27 92.90
used in desserts, ice cream and as salad dressings.
±2.10 ±3.12 G. xylinum (sju-1) strain isolated from fermented
pH (final) 4.00 4.50 sugarcane juice produced more quantities of nata
±0.16 ±0.07 than the earlier strains. Nata has got a high market
Thickness (mm) 13.00 15.00 potential in South East Asian countries.
±0.14 ±0.01
References
Hardness (N) 43 41
AOAC, 2002. Official Methods of Analysis.16th edn. Association
±2.0 ±3.0 of Official Analytical Chemists, Washington, USA.
Water Holding 84.44 87.14
Bielecki, S., Krystynowicz, A., Turkiewicz, M. and Kalinowska, H.
Capacity (%) 2005. In: Bacterial Cellulose: Polysaccharides and polyamides
±1.11 ±1.13
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Crude fibre (g) 10.74 11.25 31–85. Wiley-VCH Verlag, Weinheim, Germany.
Bourne, M.C. 2002. Food texture and viscosity: concepts and
±0.22 ±0.04
measurements. Academic Press, UK.
Sodium (mg) 45.00 41.00
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±1.50 ±0.02 Halib, N., Cairul, M., Amin, I.M. and Ahmed, I. 2012.
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