Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) biosynthesis, and antimicrobial activity of kombucha in fermented coconut water

Bakterijska nanoceluloza (BNC) je obnovljiva prirodna polimerna sirovina koju karakteriziraju izvrsna svojstva poput visoke kristaliničnosti i stupnja polimerizacije, hidrofilnosti, kiralnosti, biorazgradivosti, te sposobnosti stvaranja različitih morfologija polukristaliničnih vlakana. U ovom je radu istraživan uzgoj kombuche u aerobnim uvjetima tijekom 14 dana fermentacije u kokosovoj vodi na sobnoj temperaturi, pri različitim koncentracijama saharoze. Praćene su promjene pH vrijednosti, koncentracije etanola, octene, glukonske i mliječne kiseline, kao i prinos BNC. Istraživana je kinetika otpuštanja vode iz sintetizirane BNC, a rezultati su potvrdili da su uzorci pogodni za zacjeljivanje rana na koži. Antimikrobna aktivnost kombuche je testirana na bakterijama Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium i Bacillus subtilis, te kvascu vrste Candida albicans. Uočena je antimikrobna aktivnost fermentirane kokosove vode na bakterije, no ne u potpunosti i na kvasac C. albicans.Bacterial nanoellulose (BNC) is a sustainable natural polymeric raw material characterized by exciting properties such as hydrophilicity, chirality, biodegradability, broad chemical-modifying capacity, and the formation of different semicrystalline fiber morphologies. This work studies cultivation of kombucha in aerobic conditions over a period up to 14 days of fermentation in coconut water, at room temperature with different sucrose concentrations added. Changes in pH value, ethanol, acetic acid, gluconic acid, and lactic acid concentrations were observed, as well as yield of BNC. The water release rate (WRR) were investigated, and the results supported its anticipated use as antimicrobial wound dressing material. The antimicrobial activity of kombucha was tested against bacteria Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium and Bacillus subtilis, as well as yeast Candida albicans. Antimicrobial activitiy of coconut water was observed in the fermented samples against all the investigated bacteria strains, but not completely against yeast Candida albicans