(164c) Carboxylate Platform – Lessons from the Cow

Rumen microbiologist Paul Weimer suggests that ruminants could be models for industrial processing of biomass. In particular, ruminants employ mixed-acid fermentations that transform biomass into carboxylic acids (C2 to C8). As the acids are produced, they are extracted through the rumen wall, which lowers product inhibition. Furthermore, when ruminants chew their cud, mechanical shear improves digestibility. In many ways, the carboxylate platform mimics the rumen system because it also employs a mixed-acid fermentation. This presentation will show recent data that further mimics the cow by (1) recovering acids during the fermentation and (2) employing mechanical grinding as a biomass “co-treatment.”