PRODUCTION AND APPLICATION OF BACTERIAL CELLULOSE

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a biomaterial produced by certain bacteria that possesses unique properties, distinguishing it from plant-derived cellulose by its purity, high crystallinity, excellent biocompatibility, and superior water-holding capacity. Due to these advantages, BC is increasingly used in various industrial applications. However, large-scale production of BC is limited, particularly by the high cost of the culture medium. This review presents an analysis of scientific data and official reports on the properties of BC and methods to enhance its productivity for applications in the food industry, specifically as a food additive and packaging material. A literature search was conducted in both English and Russian using the Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and eLIBRARY.RU databases. The analysis of scientific and official data demonstrated that physical factors of the culture medium, such as temperature, pH, carbon source, and cultivation conditions, influence the yield and properties of BC. The utilization of agricultural and food waste as a culture medium has been shown to enhance the productivity of Komagataeibacter xylinus strains. The combination of BC with other components, including biologically active substances, metals, probiotics, polymers, and antibiotics, can improve its functional properties and expand its applications in the food industry—for instance, as a fat replacer, in the production of artificial meat, enzyme immobilization, and the development of biodegradable packaging materials.