Morphology and Antibacterial Activity of Duck Bile Acids Powder

The growing demand for sustainable bioproducts and valorization of agro-industrial byproducts have spurred interest in bioactive compounds derived from underutilized biological waste. Duck gallbladders, often discarded during poultry processing, are a novel source of duck bile acids (DBAs) with potential applications in food preservation and biomedicine. In this study, DBAs were extracted using ethanol-based extraction, activated carbon adsorption, and lyophilization to obtain a stable powdered form. The resulting pale-yellow, semi-coarse, hygroscopic powder showed irregular morphology. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed polydisperse, flaky to plate-like particles ranging in size from 10 to 250 µm, indicating non-uniform crystallization or aggregation during drying. Antimicrobial testing via agar well diffusion showed strong inhibition of Bacillus cereus (23.00 ± 0.00 mm) and moderate inhibition of Escherichia coli (9.00 ± 0.00 mm) at 64 mg/mL. The distinct morphology and selective bioactivity highlight the complex physicochemical nature of DBAs and support their potential safe use in food, nutraceuticals, and preservatives.