Patent ID: 8748588

Claim:
A method of extracting proteins from a wet algal biomass comprised of intact algal cells, the method comprising: a. providing an algal biomass comprised of intact algal cells that comprise globulin proteins, albumin proteins, glutelin proteins, and prolamin proteins; b. combining the wet algal biomass with a solvent set, comprising ethanol, to generate an extraction mixture, the extraction mixture comprising a solid phase and a liquid phase, wherein the weight of the solvent set is about the same as the weight of the wet algal biomass; c. bringing the extraction mixture to a temperature wherein the viscosity of the extraction mixture is reduced and the temperature is below the boiling point of the extraction mixture; and d. separating at least a portion of the liquid phase from the solid phase, wherein the liquid phase of the extraction mixture comprises globulin proteins, albumin proteins, glutelin proteins, and prolamin proteins, and wherein the solid phase comprises polar and non-polar lipids.