Experimental design plays an important role in several areas of science and industry. Experimentation is an application of treatments applied to experimental units and is then part of a scientific method based on the measurement of one or more responses. It is necessary to observe the process and the operation of the system well. For this reason, in order to obtain a final result, an experimenter must plan and design experiments and analyzes the results. One of the most commonly used experimental designs for optimization is the response surface methodology (RSM). Because it allows evaluating the effects of multiple factors and their interactions on one or more response variables it is a useful method. In this section, recent studies have been compiled which aim to extraction of plant material in high yield and quality and determine optimum conditions for this extraction process.
Part of the book: Statistical Approaches With Emphasis on Design of Experiments Applied to Chemical Processes
In the field of olive oil extraction, current scientific research has focused on improving quality, paying particular attention to optimizing the efficiency of extraction and reducing the duration of the process. Recently, studies have been conducted to improve the traditional malaxation process and obtain positive effects on both oil production and consumption. With these aims, emerging technologies including microwave (MW), pulsed electric field (PEF), and ultrasound (US) have been applied to conventional virgin olive oil extraction process. In this chapter, most recent studies that focused on adaptation of emerging technologies to traditional extraction to increase the yield of olive oil or some minor compounds and bioactive components present in olive oil including tocopherols, chlorophyll, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds have been compiled.
Part of the book: Technological Innovation in the Olive Oil Production Chain