Patent ID: 8084038

Claim:
A method of isolating nutraceuticals comprising: a. dewatering intact algal cells to make a wet algal biomass comprised of intact algal cells; b. combining the wet algal biomass with an amphiphilic solvent set, the solvent set consisting of one or more amphiphilic solvents, to make a first extraction mixture, wherein the weight of the amphiphilic solvent set is about the same as the weight of the wet algal biomass; c. separating the first extraction mixture into a first liquid fraction comprising proteins and a first biomass fraction; d. combining the first biomass fraction with an amphiphilic solvent set to make a second extraction mixture, wherein the weight of the amphiphilic solvent set is about the same as the weight of the first biomass fraction; e. separating the second extraction mixture into a second liquid fraction, comprising caroteinoids and polar lipids including lecithin, and a second biomass fraction; f. separating the carotenoids and lecithin from the polar lipids; g. combining the second biomass fraction with an amphiphilic solvent set to make a third extraction mixture, wherein the weight of the amphiphilic solvent set is about the same as the weight of the second biomass fraction; h. separating the third extraction mixture into a third liquid fraction, comprising carotenoids and neutral lipids, and a third biomass fraction; i. separating the carotenoids and polyunsaturated fatty acid rich oil from the neutral lipids; j. transesterifying the polyunsaturated fatty acid rich oil to produce a mixture comprised of a water miscible fraction comprising glycerin and a water immiscible fraction comprising fatty acid esters; k. separating the water miscible fraction comprising glycerin from the water immiscible fraction comprising fatty acid esters; l. wherein the fatty acid esters further comprise long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid esters; and m. distilling the fatty acid esters under vacuum to separate the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid esters.