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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Recent Accounting Pronouncements - Additional Information (Detail)
Apr. 02, 2012
Nov. 03, 2010
Solazyme Bunge JV    
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]    
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage 49.90%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= szym_SolazymeBungeJvMember		  
Roquette Freres Sa | Solazyme Roquette Joint Venture    
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]    
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage   50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= szym_RoquetteFreresSaMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= szym_SolazymeRoquetteJointVentureMember
Parent Company | Solazyme Roquette Joint Venture    
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]    
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage   50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= szym_SolazymeRoquetteJointVentureMember
Parent Company | Solazyme Bunge JV    
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]    
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage 50.10%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= szym_SolazymeBungeJvMember		  
Bunge Ltd | Solazyme Bunge JV    
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]    
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage 49.90%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= szym_BungeLtdMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= szym_SolazymeBungeJvMember