Production of High Levels of DHA-Containing Biomass in Microalgae Using Modified Amounts of Chloride and Potassium

A method of producing a biomass comprising docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), comprising:

• culturing a heterotrophic microalga in a culture medium, wherein the culture medium comprises:
• chloride ions at a concentration of less than or equal to 3 g/L;
• potassium ions at a concentration of 1.5 g/L to 10 g/L;
• and
• recovering DHA-containing biomass from the microalga.

A method of producing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), comprising:

• culturing a heterotrophic microalga in a culture medium to produce said DHA, wherein the culture medium comprises:
• chloride ions at a concentration of less than or equal to 2 g/L;
• potassium ions at a concentration of greater than or equal to 0.5 g/L;
• and
• the microalga produces at least 51% DHA as a weight percent of fat;
• and
• recovering the DHA from the microalga.