## 3 Results and Discussion
### Characteristics of Manufactured Cousous
#### 3.2.4 Microstructure of Couscous  
The external microstructure and surface texture of the couscous grains from different formulations were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as shown in Figure 5. The results show that the microstructure varies according to the proportion and type of fermented materials added. Couscous grains produced from three fermented starchy flours in sample C1--fermented acorn (8%), fermented sorghum (4%), and fermented wheat (4%)--exhibited a regular and smooth microstructure. Here, the native particles of the starchy powders were no longer discernible, making the grain structure very dense, with reduced or even imperceptible porosity. However, this visual compactness observed under SEM may reflect a surface densification rather than effective internal gelatinization, which aligns with the functional properties showing the highest loss of components and the lowest viscosity values. A close look (\(\times\)600) at the surface of the agglomerates showed that there were regular and smooth areas interspersed with a few intact starch granules, with diameters ranging from 13.51 to 34.05 \(\upmu\)m. This dimensional heterogeneity suggests the involvement of three distinct botanical sources, each characterized by specific morphological and dimensional properties as described in the literature. Sorghum starch granules are described as having polygonal, irregular, angular, and spherical shapes, with dimensions ranging from 5 to 30 \(\upmu\)m ([PERSON] et al., 2018). The presence of granules within this dimensional range in our sample supports the hypothesis of a partial origin from fermented sorghum starch. Additionally, acorn starch exhibits granules that are mostly spherical, elliptical, or irregular, characterized by smooth and crack-free surfaces. These granules vary significantly in size, from 3.3 to 126.2 \(\upmu\)m ([PERSON] et al., 2018). The detection of large granules, particularly those exceeding 30 \(\upmu\)m in sample C1, could reflect acorn starch that has undergone a fermentation process. The particle size distribution, characterized by narrower diameters compared to unfermmented starch, could result from this biochemical transformation ([PERSON] et al., 2018). Finally, durum wheat starch is known for its predominantly spherical granules, with sizes ranging from 1 to 20 \(\upmu\)m ([PERSON] et al., 2018). The presence of granules located in the lower part of our particle size distribution (close to 13.51 \(\upmu\)m) could thus be attributed to durum wheat starch. When couscous has been enriched with 8% of fermented acorn flour (C2), it exhibits a microstructure characterized by native durum semolina and acorn flour particles that are interconnected but still visible and identifiable. This configuration appears to have created an open porosity at the grain surfaces. The resulting image showed that the semolina and flour components--primarily proteins and starch--have been partially gelatinized. At higher magnification (\(\times\)600), smooth areas with a melted structure appearance can be seen. Some slightly gelatinized starch granules remain visible, while others, still intact, show sharp contours. The starch granules have a diameter of 23.67-28.72 \(\upmu\)m, which could indicate an origin from fermented acorn flour. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [35] reported that acorn starch has a considerably wider diameter range, ranging from 3.3 to 126.2 \(\upmu\)m, and a variety of morphologies, including irregular, elliptical, and spherical shapes. The fermenting process might be the cause of the smaller diameters seen in our samples. Figure 5: Scanning electron microscopy of couscious particles. C1: couscious with fermented sorghum, fermented wheat and fermented acorns; C2: couscious with fermented acorns; C3: couscious with fermented sorghum and fermented acorns; and C4: couscious with fermented wheat and fermented acorns.