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Bacterial cellulose is a biomaterial known for its physical and mechanical properties, including its high mechanical strength, water retention capacity, and biocompatibility. Its production from various carbohydrates has been widely studied, aiming to find more efficient and cost-effective culture media. This study investigated the production of bacterial cellulose from agroindustrial asparagus peel waste by Komagataeibacter rhaeticus QK23. A strain of QK23 was isolated and cultivated from a kombucha tea, identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics using the 16S rRNA gene. The waste was hydrolyzed and converted into fermentable sugars. Using the response surface methodology, the inoculum dose (1–20%) and incubation time (3–25 days) were evaluated concerning bacterial cellulose yield. The results demonstrated that with an optimal inoculum dose of 10.5% and an incubation time of 25 days, a production of 2.57 g/L was achieved. It was characterized as similar to type I cellulose, exhibiting a high degree of crystallinity (81.89%) and suitable morphological properties, evidenced by a fiber size of 178 nm and a surface roughness of 27.05 nm. Converting asparagus waste into bacterial cellulose is a sustainable and effective strategy that promotes the development of advanced biomaterials in biotechnology research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms' degradation of agro-industrial waste produces bad odors and greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Consequently, eco-friendly, sustainable biotechnological alternatives to this waste are sought to provide additional value, which is why this study's objective was to develop a method of producing unicellular proteins from artichoke and asparagus agro-industrial waste using Rhodotorula mucilaginosa as a producer organism. Agricultural soil was collected from the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo (Peru), and R. mucilaginosa was isolated and identified using biochemical tests. Proteins and carotenoids were produced from artichokes and asparagus residues using the R. mucilaginosa yeast. Four substrate concentrations (10, 20, 30, and 40%) and a pH range (5–8.1) were used. They were incubated at 30 °C for 72 h. The results showed that protein and carotenoid yield varied according to pH and substrate concentration. Artichoke residues reached a maximum protein yield of 25.98 mg/g and carotenoids of 159.26 μg/g at pH 5–6.6, respectively. Likewise, the asparagus residue showed a maximum protein yield of 20.22 mg/g and a carotenoid yield of 358.05 μg/g at a pH of 7.1 and 6.6, respectively. This study demonstrated the potential of artichoke and asparagus agro-industrial residues for the production of unicellular proteins and carotenoids using R. mucilaginosa. Further, it represents an appropriate alternative to properly managing agro-industrial waste, giving it an economic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]