Butyric acid production from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate by Clostridium tyrobutyricum immobilized in a fibrous-bed bioreactor

► We studied butyric acid production from sugarcane bagasse (SCB) hydrolysate. ► High sugar yields were obtained from SCB after acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. ► C. tyrobutyricum was immobilized in a FBB for fed-batch fermentation of SCB hydrolysate. ► High butyric acid yield (>0.45 g/g sugar) and productivity (0.51 g/L h) were obtained. ► This study demonstrated the feasibility of producing butyric acid from low-cost SCB feedstock.