Preparation of an inoculum of Gluconacetobacter xylinus without mutants in shaken culture

Aims A high‐quality inoculum of Gluconacetobacter xylinus is important to produce bacterial cellulose (BC), a versatile biomaterial. This work aims to develop a method of preparing an inoculum of this bacterium with high cell density and without mutants. Methods and Results Inocula of G. xylinus ACCC 10220 without and with cellulase or carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were prepared in shaken culture. BC pellets and BC‐negative mutants were present in the inoculum without additives but absent in the inoculum with additives. Based on BC weights statically produced in fresh BC‐producing media initiated by different seed culture, the 24‐h‐shaken inoculum with 1·50% (w/v) CMC was the best because of high biomass and absence of mutants. The BC weights in fresh media inoculated by the 96‐h‐static inoculum and 24‐h‐shaken CMC inoculum at 7% (v/v) were 0·70 and 1·05 g l−1, respectively, implying significant difference (P