Patent ID: 7550616

Claim:
A process for fractionation of an oil-, polar lipid-, and protein-containing mixture, comprising the steps: (a) separating oil from said mixture to form an oil-rich fraction and a polar lipid/protein-rich fraction; (b) adding water-soluble organic solvent to said polar lipid/protein-rich fraction; (c) subjecting the water-soluble organic solvent and polar lipid/protein-rich fraction to density separation to form a polar lipid-rich fraction and a protein-rich fraction; wherein the separation of oil of step (a) comprises the steps: (a-1) homogenization of said oil-, polar lipid-, and protein-containing mixture; (b-1) adding water-soluble organic solvent and water to said mixture; (c-1) separating the resulting mixture into an oil-rich fraction and a polar lipid/protein-rich fraction and; wherein said polar lipid/protein-rich fraction formed in step (a) comprises from about 30% to about 50% by weight polar lipid and from about 50% to about 70% by weight protein.