Abstract: A process for producing an oil, or a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), is described where an aqueous liquid comprising cells is deaerated, and the oil or PUFA is obtained from the cells. Deaeration can be performed by a wide variety of techniques, including the application of a vacuum (or reduced pressure), mechanical deaeration or degassing by reduced stirring or subjecting the broth to centrifugal forces, reducing viscosity (by dilution or heating), reduction in the supply of oxygen or air during fermentation or a reduction in stirring rate, lowering the pH (to lower the solubility of CO2), filtration using PTFE capillaries, gas displacement (by bubbling in nitrogen or helium) or chemical deaeration (using oxygen scavengers).

Abstract: An improved pasteurisation protocol for pasteurising microbial cells is disclosed. The protocol has three stages, a first heating stage, a second plateau stage at which the cells are held at a (maximum and) constant temperature, and a third cooling stage. Both the heating and the cooling stages are rapid, with the temperature of the cells passing through 40 to 80° C. in no more than 30 minutes in the heating stage. The heating rate is at least 0.5° C./minute and during cooling is at least ?0.5° C./minute. The plateau maximum temperature is from 70 to 85° C. By plotting the pasteurisation protocol on a time (t, minutes) versus temperature (T, ° C.) graph, one obtains a trapezium having an area less than 13,000° C. minute. Not only does this result in a smaller energy input (and so a reduction in costs), but a better quality (and less oxidised) oil results having a peroxide value (POV) of less than 1.5 and an anisidine value (AnV) of less than 1.0.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for obtaining lipid from a composition comprising cells and water, said process comprising contacting the composition with a desiccant, and recovering the lipid from the cells. The invention also relates to a lipid obtainable by this process. The process according to then invention enables lipid of high quality to be obtained with a high yield, and does not require a heating step.

Abstract: An improved pasteurization protocol for pasteurizing microbial cells is disclosed. The protocol has three stages, a first heating stage, a second plateau stage at which the cells are held at a (maximum and) constant temperature, and a third cooling stage. Both the heating and the cooling stages are rapid, with the temperature of the cells passing through 40 to 80° C. in no more than 30 minutes in the heating stage. The heating rate is at least 0.5° C./minute and during cooling is at least ?0.5° C./minute. The plateau maximum temperature is from 70 to 85° C. By plotting the pasteurization protocol on a time (t, minutes) versus temperature (T, ° C.) graph, one obtains a trapezium having an area less than 13,000° C. minute. Not only does this result in a smaller energy input (and so a reduction in costs), but a better quality (and less oxidized) oil results having a peroxide value (POV) of less than 1.5 and an anisidine value (AnV) of less than 1.0.

Abstract: A process for producing an oil, or a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), is described where an aqueous liquid comprising cells is deaerated, and the oil or PUFA is obtained from the cells. Deaeration can be performed by a wide variety of techniques, including the application of a vacuum (or reduced pressure), mechanical deaeration or degassing by reduced stirring or subjecting the broth to centrifugal forces, reducing viscosity (by dilution or heating), reduction in the supply of oxygen or air during fermentation or a reduction in stirring rate, lowering the pH (to lower the solubility of CO2), filtration using PTFE capillaries, gas displacement (by bubbling in nitrogen or helium) or chemical deaeration (using oxygen scavengers).

Abstract: An improved pasteurisation protocol for pasteurising microbial cells is disclosed. The protocol has three stages, a first heating stage, a second plateau stage at which the cells are held at a (maximum and) constant temperature, and a third cooling stage. Both the heating and the cooling stages are rapid, with the temperature of the cells passing through 40 to 80° C. in no more than 30 minutes in the heating stage. The heating rate is at least 0.5° C./minute and during cooling is at least ?0.5° C./minute. The plateau maximum temperature is from 70 to 85° C. By plotting the pasteurisation protocol on a time (t, minutes) versus temperature (T, ° C.) graph, one obtains a trapezium having an area less than 13,000° C. minute. Not only does this result in a smaller energy input (and so a reduction in costs), but a better quality (and less oxidised) oil results having a peroxide value (POV) of less than 1.5 and an anisidine value (AnV) of less than 1.0.