Bionanocellulose – Properties, Acquisition And Perspectives Of Application In The Food Industry

The food industry is one area of industrial activities that requires the frequent implementation of technological and product innovations. Foodstuffs obtained both in technologically advanced factories, as well as in small manufacturing enterprises, are increasingly produced using innovative food additives, which include natural polysaccharide ingredients. One of these substances is bionanocellulose – microbially produced cellulose (most commonly by the genus Komagataeibacter xylinus, formerly known as Gluconacetobacter xylinus). Bionanocellulose is a polymer with exceptionally valuable functional properties resulting from its unique molecular structure (formed by the chemically ultra-pure β-1,4-glucan). The main features of bionanocellulose are high hygroscopicity, flexibility and mechanical strength. Various physical and chemical forms of bionanocellulose (produced both during surface and submerged cultivation) are increasingly used in the production of food products. The need to produce highly diversified (e.g., usable or sensory) food products as well as the increasing difficulties associated with access to conventional sources of external coal, necessitate the search of alternative culture media for the production of bionanocellulose. The aim of the work is to describe the use of alternative carbon sources for the microbiological synthesis of bionanocellulose and its application in the food industry.

Introduction. 2. Structure and physico-mechanical characteristics of bionanocellulose. 3. The process of synthesis of bionanocellulose and its importance for microorganisms. 4. Microorganisms used for the production of bionanocellulose. 5. Raw materials used in the synthesis of bionanocellulose. 6. Techniques of culturing microorganisms that produce bionanocellulose. 7. Possible applications of bionanocellulose in the food industry. 8. Conclusions