Bacterial Cellulose Production from Acerola Industrial Waste Using Isolated Kombucha Strain
Abstract Bacterial Cellulose (BC) production is still considered expensive and challenging for industries. Herein, BC was produced through an acetic acid bacteria isolated from the kombucha consortium and an extract from acerola juice-industrial waste. The isolated bacterium was characterized through different assays (biochemical characterization and 16S rRNA gene) being identified as Komagataeibacter rhaeticus. BC production with static cultivation mode by the isolated strain was compared using traditional Hestrin-Schramm (HS) medium and acerola waste (AC) (5% w/v). The kinetic behavior of BC production was slightly higher in the HS medium reaching 2.9 g/L after 12 days of fermentation, while 2.3 g/L in the AC medium. Minor differences were observed between crystallite size and d-spacing, highlighting BC produced by the AC medium with higher crystallinity of 93.9% and two-fold breaking stress resistance in comparison with the conventional medium, with high-temperature stability and economically feasible, promissory results for further application of this synthetized cellulose obtained from industrial residues.