The influence of enzymatic hydrolysis parameters of oil palm empty fruit bunch on the production of bacterial cellulose by Komagataeibacter xylinus

Concerns about non-biodegradable plastics have led scientists to investigate alternative packaging materials such as biodegradable polymers like cellulose. Bacterial cellulose is a type of cellulose produced by acetic acid bacteria like Komagataeibacter xylinus, which has similar characteristics to plant-derived cellulose. However, the high cost of fermentation media presents a challenge. To address this issue, researchers explored the use of cheap and readily available fermentation media like oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) with optimized enzymatic hydrolysis conditions to help maximize the production of bacterial cellulose. The study aimed to determine the optimal fermentation conditions (nitrogen sources and pH) for bacterial cellulose production in the model fermentation media, De Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) broth. The obtained parameters were then used to investigate the effect of enzyme concentration (Acellerase (R) 1500) and fermentation conditions on the production of bacterial cellulose from EFB using response surface methodology (RSM) approaches. Results showed that yeast extract effectively produced bacterial cellulose with the highest wet weight of 260 g/L under controlled pH conditions (pH 6.0 to 6.5) in MRS broth. The addition of yeast extract to EFB hydrolysate at 15% enzyme concentration and 41-h time duration successfully produced bacterial cellulose with the highest wet weight of 106 g/L, pH value reduced by 3.02, reducing sugar and protein concentrations were reduced by 28.77 g/L and 0.61 g/L, from the starting value of 100.72 g/L and 6.18 g/L, respectively. From RSM data, this study concluded that enzymatic hydrolysis at 15% (w/v) Acellerase (R) 1500 for 36.5 h plays an essential role in producing high-quality bacterial cellulose from EFB. Characterization study shows that bacterial cellulose produced from higher concentrations of Acellerase (R) 1500 enzyme was able to produce a denser network of microfibrils that possessed greater tensile strength, tearing resistance, and a longer rate of biodegradability. These findings provide insight into the potential use of EFB in producing bacterial cellulose as an eco-friendly alternative to non-biodegradable plastics, using readily available and affordable materials.