Botany Dept.Fac. Sci. Benha Univ. Egypt
Abstract: Kombucha is composed of yeast and acetic acid bacteria especially, Acetobacter Xylinum which forms a cellulose pellicle on tea broth. The yield and properties of cellulose produced were investigated in this study; the tea broth was fermented naturally for 14 days in the presence of different amounts of black tea and sucrose as nitrogen and carbon sources. 8.7g/L black tea produced highest weight of bacterial cellulose (55.46g/L) and 100g/L sucrose also exhibited high amount of pellicle (63.58g/L). The bacterial cellulose production increased with the increase of surface area and depth of the broth. Temperature was essential factor on growth, where the pellicle was formed at range (20o C - 50o C) and higher temperature over 50o C depressed the bacterial cellulose formation. Bacterial pellicle was separated from kombucha tea preparation and purified; the pellicle was reticulated structure consisting of fine cellulose threads, where it could be detected by carrying out transmission, scanning electron microscope and FT.IR spectroscopy. [Soheir S. Abd El-Salam. Bacterial Cellulose of Kombucha Mushroom Tea. N Y Sci J. 2012;5(4):81-87]. (ISSN: 1554-0200). http://www.sciencepub.net/newyork. 13
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