Claims
- 1. A process for reducing the content of lipids and nucleic acid in a microbial cell mass, which comprises first extracting said cell mass at a temperature not exceeding 50.degree. C. for a time from 5 minutes to 120 minutes with a liquid extractant comprising ammonia or ammonium hydroxide and isopropanol or an organic solvent of the formula R.sub.1 --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --OR.sub.2, wherein either R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are hydrogen, and n is 1, 2, or 3, or R.sub.1 is hydroxy, R.sub.2 is hydrogen, methyl, or ethyl and n is 2 or 3, the NH.sub.3 -content of said liquid extractant being from 1 to 10 percent by weight of said organic solvent, the weight ratio of solvent to cell mass being between 3:1 and 12:1, and the total amount of water present during said extraction, as contributed by the cell mass, solvent, and ammonium hydroxide, being from 0 to 10 percent by weight of said solvent, separating the liquid extractant from the solvent-extracted microbial cell mass, and then extracting the separated solvent-extracted cell mass with water at a pH from 6 to 7.5 for a time from 5 minutes to 120 minutes, separating the water from the water-extracted cell mass, and drying the water-extracted cell mass.
- 2. A process as in claim 1 wherein said solvent is methanol or ethanol and the weight ratio of solvent to cell mass is between 3:1 and 6:1.
- 3. A process as in claim 1 wherein said solvent is propanol, glycol, or a glycol monoether and the weight ratio of solvent to cell mass is between 8:1 and 12:1.
- 4. A process as in claim 1 wherein said microbial cell mass is Methylomonas clara ATCC 31226.
- 5. A process as in claim 1 wherein said microbial cell mass is Candida lipolytica ATCC 20383.
- 6. A process as in claim 1 wherein said microbial cell mass is Penicillium chrysogenum ATCC 10238.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2633666 |
Jul 1976 |
DEX |
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Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 818,832, filed July 25, 1977, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
121463 |
May 1976 |
DDX |
1327288 |
Aug 1973 |
GBX |
1400691 |
Jul 1975 |
GBX |
1408845 |
Oct 1975 |
GBX |
1465396 |
Feb 1977 |
GBX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
818832 |
Jul 1977 |
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