Research background: Research into bacterial cellulose production has been growing rapidly in recent years, as it has a potential use in various applications, such as in the medical and food industries. Previous studies have focused on optimising the production process through various methods, such as using different carbon sources and manipulating environmental conditions. However, further research is still needed to optimise the production process and understand the underlying mechanisms of bacterial cellulose synthesis.

Experimental approach: We used Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken experimental designs to analyse the effect of different factors on bacterial cellulose production. The fermentation kinetics of the optimised medium was analysed, and the produced cellulose was characterised. This approach was used because it allows the identification of significant factors influencing bacterial cellulose growth, the optimisation of the culture medium and the characterisation of the produced cellulose.

Results and conclusions: The results showed that higher sucrose concentrations, higher kombucha volume fractions and a smaller size of the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast were the most important factors for the improvement of bacterial cellulose production, while the other factors had no relevant influence. The optimised medium showed an increase in the concentrations of total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids as well as significant antioxidant activity. The produced pure bacterial cellulose had a high water absorption capacity as well as high crystallinity and thermal stability.

Novelty and scientific contribution: The study makes an important scientific contribution by optimising the culture medium to produce bacterial cellulose more productively and efficiently. The optimised medium can be used for the production of a kombucha-like beverage with a high content of bioactive compounds and for the production of bacterial cellulose with high crystallinity and thermal stability. Additionally, the study highlights the potential of bacterial cellulose as a highly water-absorbent material with applications in areas such as packaging and biomedical engineering.