Quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) Waste By-Product Characterization as a Potential Functional Ingredient

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The work has scientific relevance and is well structured. However, here are some suggestions for improving the manuscript:

- Correct the numbering of the methodology subitems

- What is the justification for choosing the solvent and pH used in the extraction?

- What are the concentrations of the samples included in the antioxidant activity assays?

- It was not clear what concentration was used in the antimicrobial activity test. The lack of activity may have been due to the lack of solubility in water. Were the extracts obtained with methanol:water fully soluble in water after lyophilization?

- The authors draw a comparison between the results and studies carried out with quince, which was not waste. They suggest that the absence of antimicrobial activity may be due to “the thermal treatment that the sample has previously undergone, which may have affected the phenolic content and therefore the antimicrobial capacity”. However, a characterization by LC-MS is necessary, with the aim of identifying which phenolic compounds are present in this extract and comparing it with quince before processing (not waste).

 

Author Response

Dear Editor and Reviewers,

We are sending to you all the changes suggested and the answers to the questions about the manuscript: “Quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) waste by-product characterization as a potential functional ingredient” that needed to be clarified. We hope these comments are useful in answering to all the questions raised.

Comments to Author

The work has scientific relevance and is well structured. However, here are some suggestions for improving the manuscript:

Reviewer’s comment:

Correct the numbering of the methodology subitems.

Authors’ response:

The authors agree with reviewer’s comment and it has been amended.

Reviewer’s comment:

What is the justification for choosing the solvent and pH used in the extraction?

Authors’ response:

According to our previous experiences (Albertos et al., 2019; Albertos et al., 2018) with other vegetables, this solvent and this pH was optimum to reach the maximum extraction.

Reviewer’s comment:

What are the concentrations of the samples included in the antioxidant activity assays?

Authors’ response:

The samples concentration is added in line 219.

Reviewer’s comment:

It was not clear what concentration was used in the antimicrobial activity test. The lack of activity may have been due to the lack of solubility in water. Were the extracts obtained with methanol: water fully soluble in water after lyophilization?

Authors’ response:

The lyophilized sample was fully soluble in water. The antimicrobial concentration for antimicrobial activity test is now clear in line 228.

Reviewer’s comment:

The authors draw a comparison between the results and studies carried out with quince, which was not waste. They suggest that the absence of antimicrobial activity may be due to “the thermal treatment that the sample has previously undergone, which may have affected the phenolic content and therefore the antimicrobial capacity”. However, a characterization by LC-MS is necessary, with the aim of identifying which phenolic compounds are present in this extract and comparing it with quince before processing (not waste).

Authors’ response:

Thank you for the suggestion. The authors agree with that is not possible to say that without LC-MS analysis. It has been amended.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The production of waste in the food industry is increasing, which is actually an under-developed and under-utilized resource. This manuscript analyzed and characterized the waste from quince after its processing, and obtained the by-product nutritional content parameters, such as proteins, fiber, sugars, vitamins, and minerals, and further measured the antioxidant capacity and the antimicrobial capacity against different postharvest-pathogenic fungi. This manuscript has a certain degree of innovation and novelty, and provided a significant reference for the further utilization of Quince by-product. The analysis methods are appropriated and rigorously described, and the experimental data seems reliable as they came from repetitive experiments and error analysis.

1.      The obvious drawback is that readers may have insufficient information about Quince, therefore, more introduction about this food may be useful to improve the readability and wholeness on scientific issue of this work (additional one or more figures regard to Quince and its by-product may be better).

2.      Line 183-187, the content of 2.3 is missing, or the serial number 2.3 and 2.4 is repetitive?

3.      Prospects on the utilization methods or protocols of Quince by-product based on the results of this manuscript are suggested to add to make the conclusion coherent and scientific meaningful for the development of the field.

In brief, I recommend this paper for publication after a minor revision.

 

Author Response

Dear Editor and Reviewers,

We are sending to you all the changes suggested and the answers to the questions about the manuscript: “Quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) waste by-product characterization as a potential functional ingredient” that needed to be clarified. We hope these comments are useful in answering to all the questions raised.

Comments to Author

The production of waste in the food industry is increasing, which is actually an under-developed and under-utilized resource. This manuscript analyzed and characterized the waste from quince after its processing, and obtained the by-product nutritional content parameters, such as proteins, fiber, sugars, vitamins, and minerals, and further measured the antioxidant capacity and the antimicrobial capacity against different postharvest-pathogenic fungi. This manuscript has a certain degree of innovation and novelty and provided a significant reference for the further utilization of Quince by-product. The analysis methods are appropriated and rigorously described, and the experimental data seems reliable as they came from repetitive experiments and error analysis.

Reviewer’s comment:

The obvious drawback is that readers may have insufficient information about Quince, therefore, more introduction about this food may be useful to improve the readability and wholeness on scientific issue of this work (additional one or more figures regard to Quince and its by-product may be better).

Authors’ response:

Thank you for the suggestion, more introduction about quince id added. A quince process and by product obtention figure is added (lines 89-99).

Reviewer’s comment:

Line 183-187, the content of 2.3 is missing, or the serial number 2.3 and 2.4 is repetitive?

Authors’ response:

The authors agree with reviewer’s comment and the subitem numbering has been corrected.

Reviewer’s comment:

Prospects on the utilization methods or protocols of Quince by-product based on the results of this manuscript are suggested to add to make the conclusion coherent and scientific meaningful for the development of the field.

 

 

Authors’ response:

The prospect and examples of future utilization methods are added in the conclusion (Lines 511-514).

In brief, I recommend this paper for publication after a minor revision.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx