Kinetic aspects of bacterial cellulose formation in nata-de-coco culture system

The process of cellulose formation in a nata-de-coco culture system has been investigated. The medium was prepared with coconut-water by adding sugar and N-compounds and the culture was conducted in static conditions. The growth of gel thickness, wet weight and dry weight was almost independent of the concentrations of N-compound and sugar at least when they were above 0.1 and 1%, respectively, suggesting that the process was controlled by oxygen supply. Glucose was the only saccharide found in the coconut water stored for 3 days. While the concentration of sugar dropped quickly to a certain level and decreased monotonically with time, a part of glucose turned to something other than cellulose. No fructose was found after the initial stage, presumably being consumed by side-reactions. Computer simulation showed that, after the induction time, the process of cellulose formation or the consumption of glucose is controlled by the diffusion of atmospheric oxygen.