Anaerobic digestion of organic residual streams can be directed to produce carboxylates such as acetate, propionate, and n-butyrate, which can be either directly used in industry or converted into other valuable compounds. This paper reviews the studies working with mixed culture conversion of organic substrates toward carboxylates. It draws connections between standard fermentation parameters and the carboxylate product concentrations and composition. The use of more concentrated carbohydrate-rich substrates, at longer residence times and at neutral pH ranges, stimulates total acid production. When increasing pH to the neutral range, acetate and propionate fractions are elevated. High propionate concentrations and fractions are infrequently reported and mainly appear on high-protein-containing feedstock. High n-butyrate fraction >70% is usually found when pH < 6, at longer retention times or organic loading rates, under CO₂ atmosphere or on substrates with high lactate concentrations. The review concludes with prospects for further developments related to the carboxylate platform.

Industrial biotechnology has a potential to tackle harmful CO2 emissions and turn CO2 into a valuable commodity. However, a major technical obstacle in gas fermentations is the limited gas mass transfer rate. Increasing system pressure is a way to increase the driving force for mass transfer. This review presents critical aspects of gas fermentation at elevated pressure, with a specific focus on results obtained at 5-10 bar. While a solid foundation for high pressure fermentations has already been laid in the past, mainly to enhance oxygen transfer rates, it can be concluded that fermentations at moderately elevated pressures using gases such as CO2, CH4, CO, H2, O2 are still underexplored. Microbial growth rates and product formation can be improved at higher pressures, but in general, titers and productivities need to be increased to allow a further industrialization. Hence, more systematic investigations and techno-economic assessments are required.