Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for recovering a lipid or hydrocarbon from a fermentation mixture, comprising the steps of—providing a fermentation mixture wherein the lipid or hydrocarbon is produced by microbial fermentation in a fermentation vessel, which mixture comprises an aqueous phase and a liquid product phase, wherein the liquid product phase comprises the lipid or hydrocarbon; and—feeding at least part of the aqueous phase and part of the liquid product phase to a second vessel, thereby forming a second mixture; and—promoting phase-separation of the aqueous and product phase by injecting a gas into the second mixture, thereby separating the product phase from the aqueous phase; and—collecting the product phase comprising the lipid or hydrocarbon.