Improvement of the lactic acid fermentation of capers through an experimental factorial design (<i>Capparis spinosa</i> L)

Abstract

The study of the caper fermentation process through an experiment factorial plan allows us to determine a function ƒ such that (Y= ƒ (X 1 , X 2 , …, X n )) existing between magnitude Y which is the decrease of pH (called response), and variables Xi , which are brine, lactic acid, citric acid and lactic ferment (called factors). A complete factorial plan 2 4 was made in order to determine the factors and the interactions among the factors which have a statistically significant influence on the studied response. Brine, lactic acid and citric acid have a significant effect on the fall of pH; by contrast, lactic ferment does not have a significant effect. On the other hand, the interactions between brine and lactic acid, between brine and lactic ferment , between lactic acid with citric acid and between lactic acid with lactic ferment have significant effects on the fall of pH (p < 0.0001). The fermentation was done in the research laboratory of the society Marocapres- Fez, international leader in the processing of capers, at a temperature of about 30°C, between June and July.