L-Proline production from algae

A process for the recovery of L-proline from Chlorella sp. 580 algae without disrupting or destroying the L-proline synthesizing capability of the algae which comprises cultivating Chlorella sp. 580 algae under high intensity illumination in an aqueous growth medium containing an amount sufficient of nutrients including nitrogen to effect growth of the algae in a sodium chloride concentration of up to 0.5 M under an aerobic condition, providing an adequate supply of carbon in a depth not exceeding approximately 20 cm of the aqueous medium for a period of time sufficient for the algae to obtain a cell density of up to at least 5 g/l and thereafter increasing the sodium chloride concentration in the medium to 1 molar and continuing cultivating the algae until algae of high L-proline content are obtained, harvesting the algae and thereafter recovering from the algae without disrupting the capability of the algae to resynthesize L-proline by diluting the harvested algae with water to a concentration below at least 0.3 M sodium chloride to effect release of L-proline from the algae into the aqueous phase, removing the algae from the L-proline containing aqueous phase and reintroducing the algae into a high salt concentration containing medium of up to at least 1 M NaCl to restimulate L-proline production within the algae.