Effect of the Inclusion of Olive Cake in the Diet on the Physicochemical Characteristics of Dry-Cured Loin and Dry-Cured “Cachaço” of Bísaro Pig

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The experiment was well designed, the preentation was clear and concise. English style is in acceptable state in my opinion. I have just one remark. Can you explain somewhere in method section what you mean by "10% olive cake two phases" and "10% exhausted olive cake" in diet T3-T5. Frankly, some readers including myself, are not familiar with olive waste treatment technology in detail. So if it has to do with technology. Please clarify, explain.

Author Response

Dear review,

 

All modifications were made following the reviewer's suggestions and comments, and responses to their comments are also attached. Thanks to their recommendations, significant modifications were made throughout the manuscript.

 

Thank you for your attention.

 

Answers to Reviewer 1

General comments:

The experiment was well designed, the presentation was clear and concise. English style is in acceptable state in my opinion. I have just one remark. Can you explain somewhere in method section what you mean by "10% olive cake two phases" and "10% exhausted olive cake" in diet T3-T5. Frankly, some readers including myself, are not familiar with olive waste treatment technology in detail. So, if it has to do with technology. Please clarify, explain.

 

Response: The type of olive cake added to the feed is different according to the type of extraction it is subjected to (centrifuged, extracted and pressed). These are complex extraction methods, which should not be described in this work.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

This research article presents a comparison of two meat products (dry-cured loin and dry-cured “cachaço” of Bísaro pig), as well as an evaluation of the influence of the addition of olive cake to feed on the qualitative and quantitative composition of fatty acids in the cured products. Forty pigs were divided into five groups: 1 – Basic diet and commercial feed; 2 – Basic diet + 10% crude olive cake; 3 – Basic diet + 10% olive cake two-phases; 4 – Basic diet + 10% exhausted olive cake; 5 – Basic diet + 10% exhausted olive cake + 1% olive oil. After slaughtering and muscle separation the curing process was carried out and chemical composition of the dry-cured loin and “cachaço” were analyzed using standard methods. The experiment is well planned, the methodological part is described in detail and clearly, the obtained results are compared with those published by other authors. There is no major scientific soundness, but the provided information can be useful in practice - the use of olive cakes as feed additive had no significant effect on studied quality parameters of cured products.

Line 60: Free fatty acids and free amino are - missed free amino acids

Line 337: the Table 2 title should be on the same sheet as the table.

Author Response

Dear review,

 

All modifications were made following the reviewer's suggestions and comments, and responses to their comments are also attached. Thanks to their recommendations, significant modifications were made throughout the manuscript.

 

Thank you for your attention.

 

Answers to Reviewer 2

This research article presents a comparison of two meat products (dry-cured loin and dry-cured “cachaço” of Bísaro pig), as well as an evaluation of the influence of the addition of olive cake to feed on the qualitative and quantitative composition of fatty acids in the cured products. Forty pigs were divided into five groups: 1 – Basic diet and commercial feed; 2 – Basic diet + 10% crude olive cake; 3 – Basic diet + 10% olive cake two-phases; 4 – Basic diet + 10% exhausted olive cake; 5 – Basic diet + 10% exhausted olive cake + 1% olive oil. After slaughtering and muscle separation the curing process was carried out and chemical composition of the dry-cured loin and “cachaço” were analyzed using standard methods. The experiment is well planned, the methodological part is described in detail and clearly, the obtained results are compared with those published by other authors. There is no major scientific soundness, but the provided information can be useful in practice - the use of olive cakes as feed additive had no significant effect on studied quality parameters of cured products.

Line 60:Free fatty acids and free amino are - missed free amino acids

Response: Suggestion accepted; changes have been made in the revised version of the manuscript.

Line 337:the Table 2 title should be on the same sheet as the table.

Response: Suggestion accepted; changes have been made in the revised version of the manuscript.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Interesting topic.

Paper is nicely written and results are fairly presented.

However, some explanations are necessary in order to improve the quality of the manuscript.

Material and methods section needs to be amended with brief description of olive oil cakes and description of treatments.  

Authors should mention differences and/or similarities in chemical composition of fresh meat that is used for preparation dry-cured loin and “cachaço”.
Is it possible that composition of fresh meat has influence on the obtained products?

Some abbreviation need full names.

 I suggest that authors re-phrase conclusion. 

Detailed comments are included in the PDF file.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Dear review,

 

All modifications were made following the reviewer's suggestions and comments, and responses to their comments are also attached. Thanks to their recommendations, significant modifications were made throughout the manuscript.

 

Thank you for your attention.

 

Answers to Reviewer 3

Interesting topic.

Paper is nicely written and results are fairly presented.

However, some explanations are necessary in order to improve the quality of the manuscript.

Detailed comments are included in the PDF file.

 

Material and methods section needs to be amended with brief description of olive oil cakes and description of treatments.

Response: In the material and methods, a sentence was added about the extraction method. In any case, we consider that we should not develop the way olive cake is extracted in this work.

Authors should mention differences and/or similarities in chemical composition of fresh meat that is used for preparation dry-cured loin and “cachaço”.
Is it possible that composition of fresh meat has influence on the obtained products?

Response: Throughout the discussion of the results, reference is made to the parameters that differed in the loin (for fresh and cured meat). Such comment was subject to identification of the article (reference 15). However, it only refers to the loin product, and there is no such reference for the "cachaço".

The composition of fresh meat clearly influenced the products obtained, along with the expected chemical changes in the curing process.

Some abbreviation need full names.

Response: Suggestion accepted; changes have been made in the revised version of the manuscript.

I suggest that authors re-phrase conclusion.

Response: Suggestion accepted; changes have been made in the revised version of the manuscript.

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Responses to comments added in the attached pdf document.

1 review pdf - We do not have a reference for this text. Our sample is that it was cut in this region, which is therefore an explanation of what was done when cutting the carcass.

2 and 6 review pdf: In the material and methods, a sentence was added about the extraction method. In any case, we consider that we should not develop the way olive cake is extracted in this work.

3 review pdf: Suggestion accepted; changes have been made in the revised version of the manuscript.

4 review pdf: Suggestion accepted; changes have been made in the revised version of the manuscript.

5 review pdf

7 review pdf: Suggestion accepted; changes have been made in the revised version of the manuscript.

8 review pdf: Suggestion accepted; changes have been made in the revised version of the manuscript.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 4 Report

I suggest a reorganization of some topics and phrases and reviewing some misinterpretations in order to give continuity to certain thoughts.

Also, it is important to analyze the grammar structure and punctuation.

 

-       The aim and the conclusion of this work are not clear in the abstract

-       I recommend the inclusion of some information to attract the readers

The food offered to the animals has a direct and decisive impact on the quality of the raw meat. It is possible that some polyphenols impart a slightly bitter and repulsive taste to consumers. Therefore, the sensorial analysis of the products obtained from this raw material is extremely important.

Author Response

Dear review,

 

All modifications were made following the reviewer's suggestions and comments, and responses to their comments are also attached. Thanks to their recommendations, significant modifications were made throughout the manuscript.

 

Thank you for your attention.

 

Answers to Reviewer 4

I suggest a reorganization of some topics and phrases and reviewing some misinterpretations in order to give continuity to certain thoughts. Also, it is important to analyze the grammar structure and punctuation.

Response: Thanks for the suggestion. Some changes were made to meet the request.

The aim and the conclusion of this work are not clear in the abstract

Response: Thanks for the suggestion; however, we consider that the abstract contains the necessary information for the reader. The word limit also conditions a writing with greater detail.

I recommend the inclusion of some information to attract the readers

Response: Thanks for the suggestion. The article has been revised and minor changes have been made.

The food offered to the animals has a direct and decisive impact on the quality of the raw meat. It is possible that some polyphenols impart a slightly bitter and repulsive taste to consumers. Therefore, the sensorial analysis of the products obtained from this raw material is extremely important.

Response: As mentioned in the conclusion, other works are in progress, such as sensory analysis. Although we still don't have final data, the product was well accepted by the tasters.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx