Current insights in yeast cell disruption technologies for oil recovery: A review

Single cell oils have been considered as potential replacers of plant and animal oils, and are mainly produced by yeasts, molds, and algae. Oleaginous yeasts have taken special attention due to the similarity of their metabolism with that of higher plants, and the numerous genetic tools available for their modification. However, a special need has been reported for efficient cell disruption technology due to the rigidity of their cell wall compared to other biological ones. This makes the conventional maceration for oil recovery usually incomplete. Several mechanical and non -mechanical cell disruption technologies have been reported in the literature and are summarized in this review. A special focus is given for bead milling, high-pressure homogenization, ultrasound-, and microwave -assisted extraction. Their advantages and limitations, as well as the future potential strategies for oil recovery from oleaginous yeasts, are discussed.