A novel prototype adsorbent, designed for intensified fluidised bed adsorption processes, was assembled by the emulsification coating of 4% (w/v) porous agarose upon a zirconia-silica solid core. The adsorbent, designated ZSA (particle density 1.75 g/ml, maximum pellicle depth 40 mum), was subjected to physical and biochemical comparison with the performance of two commercial adsorbents (Streamline and Macrosorb K4AX). Bed expansion qualities and hydrodynamic characteristics (N, D-axl, and B-o) of ZSA demonstrated a marked robustness in the face of elevated velocities (up to 550 cm/h) and biomass loading (up to 30% (ww/v)) disrupted yeast cells. Cibracron Blue derivatives of the pellicular prototype (ZSA-CB), evaluated in the batch and fluidised bed recovery of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) from unclarified yeast disruptates, exhibited superior capacities and adsorption/desorption performance to the commercial derivatives. These advanced physical and biochemical properties facilitated a demonstration of the direct, mechanical coupling of bead-milling and fluidised bed adsorption in a fully integrated process for the accelerated recovery of G3PDH from yeast. The generic application of such pellicular adsorbents and integrated processes to the recovery of labile, intracellular products is discussed.