Summary
Conversion of low-value waste into valuable products using microbes can help strengthen the domestic supply of important chemicals. One such product is caproate, a medium-chain carboxylic acid used in fuels, animal feed, cosmetics, and other applications. However, making caproate from waste remains difficult. Challenges include low yields, poor selectivity, and unwanted byproducts. Synthetic microbial consortia, which are groups of microbes selected for specific waste types and end products, offer a promising solution. However, effective strategies are needed to make these systems stable and e
