Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for extracting, without using an organic solvent, squalene produced by fermenting microalgae belonging to the Thraustochytriales sp. family, characterised in that it includes the following steps: 1) preparing a biomass of microalgae belonging to the Thraustochytriales family so as to reduce the concentration of interstitial soluble matter, and to thereby achieve a purity of 30 to 99% expressed as the dry weight of biomass over the total dry weight of the fermentation medium; 2) treating the resulting biomass using a protease enzyme selected from the group of neutral or basic proteases, so as to break the cell wall of said microalgae while preventing the formation of the emulsion produced by said enzyme treatment; 3) centrifuging the resulting reaction mixture in order to separate the oil from the aqueous phase; and 4) recovering the thus-produced crude oil rich in squalene.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim