Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) production by anaerobic fermentation of organic solid wastes was studied at laboratory scale. The in¯uence of initial substrate concentration was evaluated on VFA production. Completely mixed reactors (0.9 l) were used at mesophilic temperature (35°C). Food wastes had 43.8% Total Solids content. Three dilutions of substrate (1/25, 1/10 and 1/5) corresponding to 1.75%, 4.38% and 8.76% of Total Solids and ®ve values of Organic Loading Rates: 2, 5, 10, 12.5 and 25 kg COD/m 3 d were studied. It was found that substrate 1/10 led to 14 g VFA/l at a loading rate of 12.5 kg COD/ m 3 d and an hydraulic retention time of 3.7 d. The main VFA produced were especially acetate and butyrate. Substrate diluted 1/5 led to 26.1 g VFA/l at a loading of 5 kg COD/m 3 d and an hydraulic retention time of 15.1 d, but biomass production was not optimal. In a second study, a cascade of three reactors was used. An ef¯uent with 42 g VFA/l was obtained at steady-state conditions at a loading of 12.5 kg of COD/m 3 d and an hydraulic retention time of 12.5 d. The distribution of VFA was the following: 36% of propionate, 34% of acetate and 22.5% of butyrate.
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