Bacterial Cellulose Powder from Tropical Fruit Byproducts: Characterization and Application in Smoothies

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Food Science
• Materials Science

Background:

• Utilizing tropical fruit byproducts (pulp and peels) for bacterial cellulose powder production offers environmental benefits.
• This sustainable approach provides a technological alternative for industrial and domestic applications.
• Bacterial cellulose was successfully produced via fermentation of industrial fruit waste.

Purpose of the Study:

• To produce and characterize bacterial cellulose powders from tropical fruit agro-industrial byproducts.
• To evaluate the physicochemical properties, composition, and safety of the derived bacterial cellulose powders.
• To explore the potential of these powders in developing novel food products.

Main Methods:

• Kombucha fermentation was employed to produce bacterial cellulose powders from fruit waste.
• Characterization included physicochemical analysis, proximate composition, bacterial count, FTIR, TGA, and in vivo toxicity tests.
• Formulations were assessed for properties like pH, viscosity, and vitamin C content.

Main Results:

• Bacterial cellulose powders exhibited pH values ranging from 2.5 to 4.5.
• Acerola bacterial cellulose powder demonstrated the highest yield (6.25%) and vitamin C content.
• Passion fruit bacterial cellulose powder contributed to increased viscosity in formulations, with no adverse effects observed in zebrafish toxicity tests.

Conclusions:

• Bacterial cellulose powders derived from agro-industrial waste present a healthy and sustainable option for new product development.
• Acerola bacterial cellulose powder is a valuable source of vitamin C.
• Passion fruit bacterial cellulose powder can be used to create more viscous products.