A benign solvent for dissolving proteins comprises alcohol, salt and water. The ratio by volume of water to alcohol is between about ninety-nine-to-one and about one-to-ninety-nine. A salt concentration is between near zero moles per liter and the maximum salt concentration soluble in water. The amount of protein by weight as compared to the mixture of water and alcohol is between near zero percent and about 25 percent. A method for forming a protein structure from a benign solvent comprises forming a benign solvent from water, alcohol, and salt and dissolving a protein in the benign solvent to form a protein solution. The method further comprises extracting the protein from the protein solution and arranging the protein into a protein structure.
