Investigating the effects of drying on the physical properties of Kombucha Bacterial Cellulose: Kinetic study and modeling approach

• Published in: Journal of cleaner production Vol. 452; p. 142204
• Main Authors: Dey, Baishali, Jayaraman, Sivaraman, Balasubramanian, Paramasivan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2024
• Subjects: Drying kinetics; Hot air oven; Kombucha bacterial cellulose; Microwave drying; Model fitting; Microwave drying; Kombucha bacterial cellulose; Model fitting; Hot air oven; Drying kinetics
• ISSN: 0959-6526; 1879-1786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142204

Kombucha bacterial cellulose (KBC), obtained as a by-product of tea fermentation, has potential applications in diverse fields. The high water content and presence of post-fermentation residues necessitate the implementation of suitable drying conditions that can significantly affect the final characteristics of this versatile biopolymer. Thus, to study the effect of different drying methods on its properties, KBC was subjected to microwave drying (180–900 W), hot air oven drying (30–70 °C), and shade drying (25 °C). Additionally, the acquired data were fitted into ten different models to study the drying kinetics of KBC. The dried sheets were then analyzed to study the changes in water absorption and holding capacity, rehydration, surface color, and other physicomechanical properties (UTM, XRD, and contact angle analysis). Hence, optimization of the drying conditions will help reduce the time and cost without compromising any of the intrinsic properties that allow it to be processed into various value-added products. [Display omitted] •Effect of different drying conditions on kombucha bacterial cellulose was assessed.•Page (microwave) and parabolic model (hot air-oven) provided optimal representation.•Different drying conditions showed significant effects on its intrinsic properties.•Effective diffusivity ranged from 6.23*10−11m2s−1 to 48.27*10−11 m2s−1.•Microwave drying proved to be the most efficient drying method.