Patent ID: 9738851
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: C11B,C12N,C12P

Claim:
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.