PRODUCTION OF MICROBIAL CELLULOSE BY TEA FUNGUS "KOMBUCHA"

Abstract

In seeking economic production of microbial cellulose, the available and low cost commercial kombucha starter, contains mainly Acetobacter xylinum and Saccharomyces sp., were used under static condition. The best medium composition was black tea extract (1.0 g/100 ml H2O), sucrose (20%) and corn steep liquor, CSL (1%) at 26-28°C for 10 days. The cellulose yield (1.3 g/100 ml) and productive rate (1.3×10-3 g/day/ml) were higher than some reported values. Addition of folic acid or its building block p-aminobenzoic acid at additive concentrations 0.20% led to doubling the yield (2.37 and 2.43 g/100 ml culture respectively) and the productive rate (2.37×10-3 and 2.43×10-3 g/day/ml respectively). Scanning electron micrograph showed the structure of the produced microbial cellulose fibrils without any microbial flora after treatment with 1% NaOH.