Preface
xi
Chapter.7.describes.one.of.the.first.commercially.available.products.of.BNC:.
nata.de.coco..This.is.a.white,.gelatinous,.chewy.material.used.for.the.production. of. sweets. and. desserts.. It. is. produced. from. coconut. water. or. . coconut.
milk.through.static.fermentation..Nata.de.coco.production.originated.in.the.
Philippines. during. the. 1990s. and. spread. to. nearby. countries.. In. 1991. nata.
de.coco.was.introduced.to.Japan.through.its.use.in.diet.drinks.and.became.
very.popular,.especially.among.young.girls..Production.of.nata.de.coco.has.
increased.in.recent.years.not.only.for.domestic.markets,.but.also.export.markets,.especially.Europe,.Japan,.the.United.States,.and.the.Middle.East..Nata.
de. coco. is. usually. produced. in. the. form. of. thick. sheets. of. pure. cellulose,.
which.are.then.cut.into.small.uniform.cubes,.washed,.and.boiled.in.water.
before. cooking. in. sugar. syrup. for. food. applications.. Nata. de. coco. is. used.
in.food.products.such.as.low-calorie.desserts,.salads,.and.high-fiber.foods..
It. is. highly. regarded. for. its. high. content. of. dietary. fiber. and. low. fat. and.
cholesterol.content..Commercial.nata.de.coco.is.made.by.large.and.. midsize.
companies.and.small.or.home.industries.in.East.Asian.countries.including.
the.Philippines,.Indonesia,.China,.Vietnam,.Malaysia,.and.Thailand.
In.Chapter.8,.wound.dressings.and.cosmetic.materials.fabricated.from.BNC.
are.reviewed..BNC.has.proven.to.be.a.versatile.biomaterial.that.can.be.used.to.
fabricate.excellent.wound.dressings.that.promote.rapid.and.virtually.painless.
wound.healing.as.well.as.cosmetics.with.moisturizing.and.antiaging.properties..As.mentioned.before,.it.is.a.natural,.nontoxic,.biocompatible,.and.stable.
hydrogel.with.an.excellent.affinity.to.connective.tissue..BNC.has.ideal.wound.
care.dressing.properties:.it.causes.neither.toxic.nor.allergic.side.effects.when.
remaining.in.long-term.contact.with.wounds;.its.high.water-holding.capacity. (up. to. 100. times. its. dry. mass). moisturizes. the. wound. surface. preventing.additional.tissue.loss.from.dehydration;.it.stimulates.the.action.of.lytic.
enzymes.that.remove.residual.debris.in.the.early.stages.of.wound.healing,.
speeds.restoration.of.the.wounded.tissue.to.its.normal.state,.and.significantly.
reduces.pain..It.is.highly.porous.and.hydrated,.simultaneously.moisturizing.
the.environment.and.absorbing.exudates;.it.conforms.to.any.wound.shape.
and.is.very.light.and.transparent,.forming.a.mechanically.durable.and.tight.
physical. barrier. to. microbial. contamination. and. additional. injuries,. while.
providing.gaseous.exchange;.it.allows.easy.and.painless.removal.of.wound.
coverings;. it. is. sterilizable,. nondegradable. in. mammalian. systems,. flexible,.
elastic,.and.available.in.any.size.and.shape;.it can.be.infused.with.other.therapeutic. substances. without. deterioration. of. its. inherent. features;. its. properties. can. be. tailored. to. individual. needs. through. deliberate. changes. in. the.
bacterial.culture.conditions,.genetic.modifications,.or.postculture.treatments.
of.the.polymer;.and.it.forms.homogeneous.blends.with.other.biocompatible.
polymers.like.alginate,.hyaluronic.acid,.or.soluble.cellulose.derivatives.
In.Chapter.9,.the.suitability.of.BNC.as.a.biomaterial.is.presented.in.detail..
This.chapter.should.be.of.interest.to.readers.from.polymer.sciences.and.applications,. medicine,. pharmaceutics,. galenics,. and. cosmetics.. Examples. of. flat.
BNC. implants. for. cartilage. repair. and. tubular. BNC. blood. vessel. grafts. are.