Characterization of Nata de Coco Produced by Fermentation of Immobilized Acetobacter xylinum

Nata de coco is coconut water fermented foods by the bacteria Acetobacter xylinum. In general, the production of nata de coco is done by direct inoculation into liquid medium. Immobilization of cells is a technique used to trap the cells into a matrix. The use of immobilized cells for the production of nata de coco is one alternative to the product resulted in a cell-free nata. This study used immobilized Acetobacter xylinum to produce nata on coconut water medium. Immobilization technique used is to trap Acetobacter xylinum in Ca-alginate matrix. Immobilized cells were then used for the fermentation of nata de coco repeatedly. Factors examined included repeatability fermentation, time consuming on establishment of nata, nata thickness, viability of immobilized cell. From the results obtained that immobilized cell still produced nata up to two replications fermentation. The average time for producing nata was 11 days, with an average thickness of 0.8 cm. While the rate of formation of nata equation y = 0,077x -0.086. After two replications fermentation, cell viability of immobilized cell was still high.