Current advances in organic acid production from organic wastes by using microbial co‐cultivation systems

Abstract The microbial production of organic acids has become a rapidly developing field due to their increasing global market. Recently, research has transitioned towards employing synthetic microbial consortia for organic acid production. Compared with pure cultures, microbial co‐cultures can perform more complex functions and endure more changeable environments. Accordingly, microbial co‐cultivation technologies for organic acid production have been adopted to fulfill the requirements for the utilization of a wider range of substrates for a higher product yield. Here, we have summarized current advances towards organic acid production from different substrates by using microbial co‐cultivation technologies. Furthermore, the construction mechanism of the microbial co‐cultivation systems was also analyzed and compared. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.