Patent ID: 8153137

Claim:
A method of isolating carotenoids and omega-3 rich oil from algae, comprising: dewatering intact algal cells to make a wet algal biomass; adding a first alcohol fraction to the wet algal biomass in a ratio of about 1 part alcohol to about 1 part algal biomass by weight; separating a first solid biomass fraction from a first liquid fraction comprising proteins; combining the first solid biomass fraction with a second alcohol fraction in a ratio of about 1 part alcohol to about 1 part solids by weight; separating a second solid biomass fraction from a second liquid fraction comprising polar lipids; combining the second solid biomass fraction with a third alcohol solvent fraction in a ratio of about 1 part alcohol to about 1 part solid biomass by weight; separating a third solid biomass fraction from a third liquid fraction comprising neutral lipids, wherein the third solid biomass fraction comprises carbohydrates, and wherein the first liquid fraction has a higher protein concentration than the second and third liquid fractions, the second liquid fraction has a higher polar lipids concentration than the first and third liquid fractions, and the third liquid fraction has a higher neutral lipids concentration than the first and second liquid fractions; and separating the neutral lipids into carotenoids and omega-3 rich oil.