ABSTRACT
In all cases, whether one is dealing with yeasts, molds (fungi), or algae, there is the common problem of biomass recovery from the fermenter and subsequent extraction of the oil. Given that all the single cell oils (SCO) that will be discussed in this chapter are ones rich in a particular polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), then there is an obvious need to avoid sustained high temperatures or other conditions that could lead to the oxidation and rancidity of the oils during extraction. Also, since SCO are of very recent origin, their extraction initially caused some concern that novel processes might have to be developed that would add significantly to the overall cost of manufacture. However, extraction of SCO proved to be relatively simple and no new extraction machinery had to be built to accommodate the microscopic cells of microorganisms; also, there was no need to develop new solvent extraction methods. In practice, those skilled in the art of oil extraction found that oil extraction from microorganisms was no more difficult than extracting oil out of other sources of valuable oils.
