A method for isolating one compound or more than one compound from a biomass which contains microorganisms that have produced the compound or compounds, the method comprising the following steps: (a) preparing or obtaining wet cells having an average moisture content of between 30% and 80% (b) subjecting the wet cells to primary drying to obtain primary dried cells having an average moisture content of between 5% and 50% (c) subjecting the primary dried cells obtained in (b) to secondary drying to obtain secondary dried cells having an average moisture content of no greater than 10% and (d) extracting or isolating, purifying and/or refining the compound or each of the compounds from the secondary dried cells obtained in (c).
