Recent Approaches Toward Bacterial Nanocellulose (BNC) Synthesis

Abstract

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is a natural material of immense industrial applications and has relevance in multipurpose areas. BNC has ascended as a natural polymer of substantial status in various technoindustrial applications owing to its implausible biological and physicochemical features. It has potential in the biomedical, food, paper, textile, and cosmetics industries. The feasible utilization of BNC in multidimensional areas is widely reliant on its production. However, the production cost, paucity of scale-up techniques, and the high prices of BNC-based products are the crucial facets that are the roadblocks to the commercialization of BNC. Therefore, the additional impetus is mandatory for making this green material a competing product while simultaneously being cost-effective. Despite the extensive research work in the field of BNC production, the aim of cost-effective large-scale BNC production is still far from reality. Thus, constant efforts are obligatory for viably obtaining BNC by cutting down the synthesis price, yield enhancement strategies, and overall functionalization to improve the physical, mechanical, and biological characteristics. In this chapter, we attempted to summarize recent reports on the BNC production technologies and the advancement in BNC synthesis strategies, such as static intermittent fed-batch technology, cell-free extract technology, and bioreactor-assisted BNC production. It also reflects various approaches toward significant BNC synthesis by addressing the challenges in high-quality BNC production. The scale-up strategies, like the use of novel substrates and strain improvement, have been conferred in detail.