Enhanced production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from sewage sludge by β-cyclodextrin

► This work for the first time applied β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) for enhancing VFA production from sewage sludge. ► The VFA was enhanced by four times principally composed of acetate and propionate. ► The β-CD molecules break a cell's membrane to release intracellular substances. ► β-CD-assisted VFAs are renewable organic carbon sources, except in anaerobic digestion processes.