Kombucha Bacterial Cellulose: A Promising Biopolymer for Advanced Food and Nonfood Applications

The pellicle is a coproduct from kombucha beverage production without economic value. This material is based on cellulose produced from bacteria and it has better physical properties than cellulose isolated from plants. This review analyzed systematically the research literature about pellicle (KBC – kombucha bacteria cellulose) valorization. In general, KBC has been used in food applications, especially as a packaging ingredient to improve the physical properties of biopolymer-based films, as well as to manufacture packaging materials based on KBC. In addition, some studies have investigated the potential of KBC to encapsulate food ingredients or as a food additive. Furthermore, KBC has been used in nonfood applications with a special interest in the development of materials for textile and medical applications, as well as to substitute disposable materials (e.g. spoons). Although the literature shows promising results, it is necessary to increase the production scale of this material, as well as to analyze its economic viability. It is also necessary to establish quality standards and international regulations for KBC with respect to its different food and nonfood applications.