Method for producing a lipid emulsion for use in insect cell culture

A serum-free insect cell culture medium is provided which provides improvements in the maximum insect cell density and replication of insect viruses within these cells, at a significantly lower cost than commercially-available media. A method is provided for preparing a lipid emulsion for use in insect culture media for large scale culture, and which produces a more stable emulsion with a longer shelf life. The method is preferably carried out by combining in an organic solvent a surfactant and a mixture of lipids to make a lipid phase, heating the lipid phase to a temperature of 40 to 70 degrees Celsius to form an anhydrous lipid phase and adding an aqueous phase thereto to provide a stable lipid micro-emulsion.