The Lipeña Teodula Africa, Inventor of the Nata de Coco

Teódula Kalaw África of Lipa, Batangas, is widely credited as the chemist who invented nata de coco — a chewy, translucent coconut gel. Local accounts link her to the Africa family of Lipa and suggest she studied chemistry, possibly at the University of Santo Tomás, though no primary records confirming her birth, death, or academic credentials are available digitally¹.

What is firmly documented is her role in 1949 as a chemist with the National Coconut Corporation (now the Philippine Coconut Authority), where she authored a short paper in Unitas — a respected multi-disciplinary scholarly journal published by the University of Santo Tomás since 1922 — proposing that coconut water, instead of seasonal pineapple juice, could serve as a fermentation medium to produce a nata‐like gel^{2 | 3} .

The genius of her insight was in its practicality — coconut water, an abundant byproduct, was available year-round and often undervalued, making it an ideal raw material that could transform waste into an economically valuable product⁴.

Her concept quickly sparked cottage-level production. By the 1950’s, farmer training and pilot projects had begun in Batangas, Laguna, and nearby provinces; and by the mid-1970’s scientists such as Priscilla C. Sánchez had refined bacterial strains and improved fermentation techniques to make nata de coco production more stable and commercial-scale⁵.

Nata de coco is produced when cellulose-forming bacteria (historically classified as Acetobacter xylinum, now Komagataeibacter species) ferment sugared coconut water into a gelatinous pellicle (a thin skin or membrane), which is then harvested, washed to reduce acidity, cut into cubes, sweetened, and packaged⁶.

Its neutral flavor and satisfying chewiness made it a versatile ingredient for halo-halo, fruit cocktails, bubble tea, ice cream toppings, and other desserts⁷.

Beyond its culinary appeal, nata de coco became a model of low-tech value added agro-processing — small producers could make it with modest capital and locally sourced inputs, helping boost rural incomes⁸.

Over time, the Philippines became a leading producer and exporter, diversifying its coconut industry beyond traditional products like copra and coconut oil⁹.

In the early 1990’s, nata de coco experienced a major fad in Japan — introduced in 1992 through diet foods popular among young women, it was lauded for being high in fiber, low in calories, and thought to aid colon health and weight management.

The craze peaked around 1993, driving a massive surge in demand that small cottage operations struggled to meet — one business in Lucena City increased monthly production fourfold; the boom even correlated with reduced crime in areas like Los Baños due to increased work opportunities¹⁰.

This boom, however, had its challenges — rumors of chemical contamination (e.g., formalin) sparked quality fears among Japanese importers and eventually contributed to a decline in demand¹¹.

Nonetheless, the Japan phenomenon underscores how Teódula Africa’s simple scientific insight propelled an indigenous product into global markets, creating new livelihoods and industry linkages⁸.

Today in Batangas she is celebrated as a notable Batangueña — a scientist whose locally grounded innovation had far-reaching economic and cultural impact. Though details of her personal life remain sparse in the archival record, nata de coco remains a living legacy whenever it is sold, shared, or enjoyed — a quiet but enduring tribute to her contribution to Philippine science, cuisine, and rural development.