Acorns as a Source of Valuable Compounds for Food and Medical Applications: A Review of Quercus Species Diversity and Laboratory Studies
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsReviewer’s Comments:
Title: Acorns as a source of valuable compounds for food and medical 2 applications: A review of Quercus species diversity and laboratory studies
The authors have reviewed the phytoconstituents 17 variation in the acorns of different Quercus species and their possible significance for food and medical applications, along with their bioactivities reported in in vivo and in vitro studies. The manuscript has been well written and various aspects have been systematically discussed. The manuscript may be recommended for publication after addressing minor comments:
1. The tables and figures in the manuscript should be self-explanatory, so that the readers could grasp them through legends without looking for their explanations in the text.
2. The text mentioned in the figures 1 and 3 is a little blurred to read. It is advised to replace them with high resolution pictures.
3. In Table 2 & 3, whatever abbreviations have been used, such as GAE, CE, d.m., etc., it’s suggested to explain them right below the tables as being done for other abbreviations.
Author Response
Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find the detailed responses below and the corresponding corrections highlighted (red color) in the re-submitted file.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsIn the manuscript, the authors developed an interesting review about the genus Quercus. The introduction is concise, describes the main importance the genus, on natural. The sections contain a well-conducted discussion about the issue. The thematic is relevant and justifies the revision paper. In this sense, I suggest the manuscript can be published in Applied Sciences journal after minor revisions, as listed below.
- The introduction is concise.
- In Figure 1 (p.2), I suggest to the authors change the colors to increase the quality of this Figure. Figure 3 (p.4) needs same changes. In addition, please revise the italics of figure 3, the species names must be revised.
- On item 4, p.8, I suggest to the authors describing and including a figure with some highlighted special metabolites of Quercus sp.
-The review and conclusions are well conducted.
- An English revision must be done.
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageMinor editing of English language required
Author Response
Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find the detailed responses below and the corresponding corrections highlighted (red color) in the re-submitted file.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsIn the manuscript, the authors have given a detailed and comprehensive overview of the previous research based on the use of acorns, from historical importance to use in nutrition and pharmacy.
All statements are supported by relevant literature. The manuscript is interesting for the reader and provides several new insights into the possible use of acorns. Also, the importance of bioactive compounds found in acorns is highlighted, which provides guidelines for obtaining potentially new products that could be competitive on the market.
Therefore, I propose that the manuscript be accepted in its current form.
Author Response
Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find the detailed responses below and the corresponding corrections highlighted (red color) in the re-submitted file.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 4 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis review provides a comprehensive overview of the nutritional composition of acorns, discussing their historical significance and modern interest, particularly in food preparation, medicine, and other non-food applications. Examples from in vitro and preclinical studies are cited to demonstrate their potential therapeutic effects. The review also addresses the controversial role of hydrolysable tannins found in acorns.
The work is thorough and generally well-supported by correct references. However, it may be more suitable for a specialized journal such as Plants (MDPI) rather than in the scope of applied sciences. Additionally, it is worth considering what new insights this scoping review adds compared to a recently published systematic review by Banc et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223873).
Major points to address :
To improve the flow of the text, a smoother transition could be added between the discussion of the historical decline in acorn importance and the renewed interest in them. Additionally, some paragraphs could benefit from better transitions, such as lines 247-257.
It is suggested to minimize sections 2 and 3, which focus on taxonomy, and to expand on other sections, particularly those discussing non-food uses of acorns (in the same manner as you have made for food and medicine applications), such as for animal feed and biofuel production, their potential as biosorbents as well as other potential uses of acorns.
Minors :
Line 367 correct « antioxidant, or antioxidant agent
line 217 correct It is worth nothing
Correct, it is worth noting instead nothing
correct ellagotannins, sometimes with one l in the text,
hydrolyzing instead hydrolising, check throughout text
reference 65 in the text is not correct (line 219)
Comments on the Quality of English Language
is fair but can be improved
Author Response
Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. Please find the detailed responses below and the corresponding corrections highlighted (red color) in the re-submitted file.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 4 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors- The authors made significant effort to help improve the review, therefore, I accept it. However As the authors have included a figure in the current review format, it is their responsibility to double-check all references and figure numbering in the whole text.
- remove the phrase "Own elaboration based on source data" from all tables and keep it in figure legends,
- correct the figure 5: procyanidins , arecatannin are class of condensed tannins and not flavonoids stricto sensu; pyrocatechol and pyrogallol are simple phenols and not tannin;
Author Response
Thank you very much for taking the time to review our manuscript. Please find the detailed responses in the attached file and the corresponding corrections in track changes in the re-submitted manuscript.
We are very grateful to the Reviewer for all the comments that helped us improve the text quality.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
