Abstract:
This research aims at 1) development of scientific methods for measuring texture qualities and 2) determination of the relationship of strain, carbon source and nitrogen source concentration to chemical compositions, cellulose network structure and physical properties of cellulose pellicle produced by Acetobacter spp strain Agr 60 and TISTR 975. The results indicate that measuring of puncture force at 1 mm/sex is and suitable method for classifying texture quality of cellulose pellicle. Puncture forces are 40.4±1.7, 71.0±9.8 and 101.5±7.6 N soft, firm and hare cellulose pellicle, respectively. The cellulose content of pellicle is a linear function of the cell content, but is inversely to water content. The increasing of 1% of cell content causes linearly increasing of 3.6% of cellulose content. Soft pellic,e, which has the highest water content of 219 g-water per g-cellulose, has the lowest cellulose network density with 0.6 micron pore size while firm pellicle, which has the lowest water content of 120 g-water per g-cellulose, has the highest cellulose network density with 0.2 micron pore size. Even though an average size of cellulose fibril is around 60 nm for all three types, cellulose fibril bundle of the hard one is the largest of 300 nm, which results in its highest hardness and water lose during compression. Study on effects of addition of sucrose to the coconut medium shows that Agr 60 gives 1.4 times higher thickness and wet weight of pellicle than TISTR 975. In Agr 60, the increasing of sucrose concentration from 5 to 10% results in 1.5 times higher %cellulose content and cellulose yield *8.24 g/l). It also results in increasing of puncture force and hardness of about 1.8 and 1.4 times, respectively. The addition of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, as a nitrogen source, enhances growth in both strains and results in 2 times higher %cell content. In Agr 60, the addition of 0.1% ammonium dihydrogen increases thickness and wet weight of 1.3 and 1.5 times, but decreases puncture force and hardness about 40 and 64%, respectively. The addition of 0.1% ammonium dihydrogen phosphate results in 1.3 times higher cellulose yield in both strain, but Agr 60 gives 1.2 times higher cellulose yield (6.3 g/l) than TISTR 975. For Agr 60 as the higher the C/N ratio of medium is increased, the higher the %cellulose content, puncture force and detected. The increasing of C/N ratio from 20:1 to 80:1 increases %cellulose content, puncture force and hardness about 1.4, 3.1 and 1.7 times, respectively, but decreases water content of pellicle from 130 to 90 g-cllulose.