Solventless extraction process
First Claim
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1. A process for obtaining lipid containing an omega-3 or omega-6 highly unsaturated fatty acid from microorganisms comprising:
- (a) lysing cells of the microorganisms to produce a lysed cell mixture;
(b) treating said lysed cell mixture using an extraction process conducted in a medium that comprises less than about 5% of an organic solvent to produce a phase separated mixture comprising a heavy layer and a light layer, wherein said heavy layer comprises an aqueous solution comprising solid cell materials and said light layer comprises an emulsified lipid, wherein the emulsified lipid comprises a suspension of said lipid in an aqueous solution;
(c) separating said heavy layer from said light layer; and
(d) obtaining said lipid from said light layer,wherein said step (a) comprises heating said microorganisms to temperature of at least about 50°
C.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method for extracting lipids from microorganisms without using organic solvent as an extraction solvent. In particular, the present invention provides a method for extracting lipids from microorganisms by lysing cells and removing water soluble compound and/or materials by washing the lysed cell mixtures with aqueous washing solutions until a substantially non-emulsified lipid is obtained.
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27 Claims
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1. A process for obtaining lipid containing an omega-3 or omega-6 highly unsaturated fatty acid from microorganisms comprising:
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(a) lysing cells of the microorganisms to produce a lysed cell mixture; (b) treating said lysed cell mixture using an extraction process conducted in a medium that comprises less than about 5% of an organic solvent to produce a phase separated mixture comprising a heavy layer and a light layer, wherein said heavy layer comprises an aqueous solution comprising solid cell materials and said light layer comprises an emulsified lipid, wherein the emulsified lipid comprises a suspension of said lipid in an aqueous solution; (c) separating said heavy layer from said light layer; and (d) obtaining said lipid from said light layer, wherein said step (a) comprises heating said microorganisms to temperature of at least about 50°
C.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification