Perspectives on biotechnological production of butyric acid from lignocellulosic biomass

Abstract

Butyric acid is produced from the petroleum derivative propylene by chemical route. It is an important precursor in the fuel, pharmaceutical, chemical, and food industries. However, due to the demand for bio-based molecules, the fermentative production of butyric acid from renewable feedstocks has received growing attention. Worthy new applications make it an outstanding renewable precursor. This review thoroughly discusses the steps to produce butyric acid from lignocellulosic materials, including evaluating suitable biomass, presenting recurrent pretreatment and fermentation strategies, and then discussing the factors related to each step's productivity. The non-solventogenic fermentation is the most promising method for producing bio-based butyric acid. Currently, most butyric acid bioproduction data are at the laboratory scale, and butyrate titer and productivity need improvements to reach industrial viability.