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Experimenting with a centrifuge

Theo_129732

I recently purchased a new Beckman Coulter X14R centrifuge and went right to work. I have a swing bucket rotor that spins 300ml and 750ml bottles up to 4300rpm, and a fixed angle rotor that spins 85ml tubes up to 10,200rpm. I could not find any starting guidelines for speed, temperature and time, so I've been experimenting with various foods with awesome results.

I'll be posting my favorite results here. Please ask me any questions, and offer tips from your experience. Thanks!

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Theo_129732

Freshly pressed sugar cane juice. The impurities went to the bottom, so there is less chance of burning it when I simmered it down to a syrup.

Theo_129732

Freshly pressed coconut cream before and after. This is one of the original reasons I got the centrifuge. I am trying to make raw coconut oil. The water went to the bottom as expected, and the top layer is cloudy and jelloey. It wasn't what I was expecting

. After heating to 140F, this happened. I've got 4 layers. Bottom layer: Silky white substance that looks and smells like white acrylic paint. Next layer up: Very sweet water. Next layer up: Puck of protein solids? Top layer: OIL! So, since coconut oil is supposed to melt at 76F, why was the oil jelloey coming out of the centrifuge. I always kept it warm, and had the centrifuge set to 105F. Any theories are welcome. More on this later.

Theo_129732

Ginger juice before and after. What are those little floaties? The bottom layer (not pictured) had about an inch layer of chalky white stuff (calcium?)

So I dehydrated and powdered the bottom layer for use later (not sure what).

Theo_129732

Centrifuged raspberry juice. Looks like blood. Cool.

Theo_129732

Carrot juice. All the brown and green particles went to the bottom of the centrifuge bottles leaving a vibrant Tang colored carrot juice that tasted very sweet and carroty minus the earthy flavors.

Theo_129732

I of course had to do the pea thing right?

Theo_129732

Further clarification of the coconut oil at 10,000rpm yielded crystal clear coconut oil.

Theo_129732

I juiced a bunch of mangoes which gave me a thick mango nectar. I then centrifuged it, and got a more liquidy mango juice. I inadvertently discovered a rich flavorful mango butter in a thin layer in the middle.

Theo_129732

I peeled, juiced and spun some pomelo zest, and ended up with these products. I dehydrated the dry matter from the juicing stage, and ended up with a crumbly pinkish coral colored stuff that has almost no smell. Perhaps it could be used as a body scrub. The centrifuged zest juice tube had three distinct layers. The top layer had a very fragrant citrus blossom smell, and kept well in the fridge for about a week. It was not oil, however it may have contained a minute amount of it.

Theo_129732

Duck stock.

Theo_129732

Papaya juice before and after. The clear stuff in the middle had all the papaya taste, and turned into jello in the fridge.

Theo_129732

I picked, peeled, seeded, juiced and centrifuged fresh lychees. It took 3 days of hard work, but was well worth it. I stockpiled it in the freezer. It is delicious. The centrifuge took out the astringent cardboardy quality of lychees, leaving a super sweet lychee juice that reminds me of white grape juice. I later put some in the isi whip bottle and carbonated it. Served with a shot of vodka in a martini glass.

Theo_129732

Dehydrated and powdered pea starch solids. I'm not sure what I want to do with this yet.

lfmichaud

Nice piece of equipment. You seem to be working most of the time with the swinging bucket. Is tehre a reason for that? I got an old Beckman TJ-6 with the swinging bucket and I'm always wondering about the fixed one for more separating power...

Theo_129732

I am using the swing bucket mostly only because it can spin a larger volume. The fixed angle can hold 6 85ml tubes, so it doesn't leave me with very much product.

Theo_129732

Artocarpus odoratissimus. Also known as Marang fruit. The ripening fruit smells like burning jet fuel, but it tastes like gooey butterscotch. 10,200 rpm for 30 min. The pulp was good, but most of the flavor was in the juice at the top. It is like concentrated butterscotch amazingness.

Theo_129732

It's liquid gold. I got 4oz from 2 fruits. I froze it to hopefully someday use it as a secret weapon. There's a few more on the tree. I will be watching them closely.

Morgan_36381

Does a food grade centrifuge need to be a refrigerated unit? I see a few budget centrifuges on amazon that allegedly spin at 10k rpms for roughly 200 dollars. Any information would be helpful.

lfmichaud

I don't have a refrigerated unit and I manage to spin almost anything I want. Except for peas usually you don't need to clarify for many hours. When I want to keep the product cooler I fill the empty buckets with balanced ice. That works for me but I'm not in a professional kitchen.

Theo_129732

The centrifuge creates heat inside by the friction of the buckets against the air. The warmest setting on mine is 40c and it wasn't long before the refrigeration unit kicked on to keep it there.