Process for simultaneous production of sugars and lipids from a
fermentation broth comprising the following steps: (a) feeding at least one
microorganism, preferably an oleaginous
microorganism, to a
fermentation device obtaining a
fermentation broth comprising an
aqueous suspension of cellular
biomass comprising sugars and lipids; (b) optionally, at the end of the fermentation, subjecting the
fermentation broth obtained in said step (a) to concentration obtaining a
fermentation broth comprising an
aqueous suspension of concentrated cellular
biomass comprising sugars and lipids; (c) subjecting the
fermentation broth obtained in said step (a) or the fermentation broth comprising an
aqueous suspension of concentrated cellular
biomass comprising sugars and lipids obtained in said step (b) to
hydrolysis in the presence of at least one
organic acid having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, preferably from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, said
hydrolysis being carried out at a pH comprised between 0.6 and 1.6, preferably comprised between 0.9 and 1.3, obtaining a reaction mixture comprising
cellular debris, an aqueous phase and an oily phase; (d) subjecting the reaction mixture obtained in said step (c) to separation obtaining a
solid residue comprising
cellular debris, an aqueous phase comprising sugars and an oily phase comprising lipids. The sugars obtained from the aforesaid process can be advantageously used, for example, as carbon sources in fermentation processes for the production of alcohols (e.g.,
ethanol,
butanol), lipids, diols (e.g., 1,3-
propanediol, 1,3-
butanediol, 1,4-
butanediol, 2,3-
butanediol), or in
chemical synthesis processes for the production of other intermediates or
chemical products. Said alcohols and lipids can in turn be advantageously used in the production of biofuels (e.g.,
biodiesel or 30 "Green Diesel"), which can be used as such or in a mixtures with other automotive 33 fuels, while said diols can be used in the production of products such as, for example, bio-butadiene, which can in turn be used in the production of rubbers (e.g.,
polybutadiene or its copolymers). The lipids obtained from the aforesaid process can be advantageously used, for instance, for the production of biofuels that can be used in diesel or
aviation engines, or these lipids can be subjected to metathesis processes in order to obtain
biofuel precursors, waxes, plastics,
cosmetics, and
personal care articles. The aforesaid process is particularly useful in the case of a
biorefinery.