Green coconuts (Cocos nucifera L. var. nana) between 6 and 8 months of age were purchased at the local market in For- taleza, Brazil. The CW used in this work was extracted by perforation with a manual, stainless-steel punch after the primary epicarp had been brushed and washed with water con- taining 100 ppm of active chlorine. The total water from the
12 selected fruits was homogenized, filtered through a filter paper of 1:11 m (Whatman, Maidstone, UK) and maintained at −20 °C to prevent any microbial or enzymatic activity.