Chalima, AngelinaOliver, LauraFernández de Castro, LauraKarnaouri, AnthiDietrich, ThomasTopakas, Evangelos2017-10-15Chalima , A , Oliver , L , Fernández de Castro , L , Karnaouri , A , Dietrich , T & Topakas , E 2017 , ' Utilization of Volatile Fatty Acids from Microalgae for the Production of High Added Value Compounds ' , Fermentation , vol. 3 , no. 4 , 3040054 , pp. 54 . https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation30400542311-5637researchoutputwizard: 11556/433Publisher Copyright: © 2017 by the authors.Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) are small organic compounds that have attracted much attention lately, due to their use as a carbon source for microorganisms involved in the production of bioactive compounds, biodegradable materials and energy. Low cost production of VFA from different types of waste streams can occur via dark fermentation, offering a promising approach for the production of biofuels and biochemicals with simultaneous reduction of waste volume. VFA can be subsequently utilized in fermentation processes and efficiently transformed into bioactive compounds that can be used in the food and nutraceutical industry for the development of functional foods with scientifically sustained claims. Microalgae are oleaginous microorganisms that are able to grow in heterotrophic cultures supported by VFA as a carbon source and accumulate high amounts of valuable products, such as omega-3 fatty acids and exopolysaccharides. This article reviews the different types of waste streams in concert with their potential to produce VFA, the possible factors that affect the VFA production process and the utilization of the resulting VFA in microalgae fermentation processes. The biology of VFA utilization, the potential products and the downstream processes are discussed in detail.1445769enginfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessjournal article10.3390/fermentation3040054Volatile fatty acidsWaste valorizationMicroalgaeBioactive compoundsOmega-3 fatty acidsVolatile fatty acidsWaste valorizationMicroalgaeBioactive compoundsOmega-3 fatty acidsFood ScienceBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (miscellaneous)Plant ScienceSDG 7 - Affordable and Clean EnergyProject IDinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/720777/EU/Biowaste derived volatile fatty acid platform for biopolymers, bioactive compounds and chemical building blocks/VOLATILEinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/720777/EU/Biowaste derived volatile fatty acid platform for biopolymers, bioactive compounds and chemical building blocks/VOLATILEFunding InfoVOLATILE, a project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and_x000D_ innovation program, under the grant agreement no. 720777. The Greek State Scholarships (Postdoc-Research Scholarships IKY). The Hellenic Foundation of Research and Innovation (ELIDEK) financial support (ELIDEK Scholarships_x000D_ for Ph.D. Students).VOLATILE, a project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and_x000D_ innovation program, under the grant agreement no. 720777. The Greek State Scholarships (Postdoc-Research Scholarships IKY). The Hellenic Foundation of Research and Innovation (ELIDEK) financial support (ELIDEK Scholarships_x000D_ for Ph.D. Students).http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85063776757&partnerID=8YFLogxK