Patent ID: 8187845

Claim:
A process for growing microorganisms of the order Thraustochytriales by conducting a fermentation of the microorganisms in a fermentation medium comprising a carbon source and a limiting nutrient source, the process comprising: a) providing the fermentation medium comprising the carbon source and limiting nutrient source; b) adding the microorganisms to the fermentation medium; c) adding an additional amount of the carbon source and limiting nutrient source to the fermentation medium to increase the biomass density of the fermentation medium when the dissolved oxygen content of the fermentation medium is at least 4% of saturation; d) adding an additional amount of the carbon source while limiting the amount of limiting nutrient source added to the fermentation medium and allowing the dissolved oxygen content of the fermentation medium to decrease to less than about 3% of saturation; wherein lipid production is induced in the microorganisms; and e) recovering at least some of the lipids from the microorganisms; wherein the process produces at least an average rate of 0.5 grams lipids per liter of fermentation medium per hour fermentation wherein at least about 15% of the total lipids produced by the microorganisms is polyunsaturated fatty acids, and wherein the lipids are at least 20% by weight of the dry cell weight of the biomass.