A Comparative Study on the Nutritional, Antioxidant, Thermal, Morphological and Diffraction Properties of Selected Cucurbit Seeds
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Review comments to the author
Title: ''A comparative study on the nutritional, antioxidant, thermal, morphological and diffraction properties of selected cucurbit seeds''.
Manuscript ID: agronomy-1902527.
Abstract:
1- The abstract should be typed in the form of structured abstract including (Brief background, Aim, Methodology, Results, and Conclusion) with or without sub-headings according to author guidelines.
2- In the unit (cm-1) the number (-1) should be written in superscript font.
Keywords:
1- Add ''cucurbits'' as a new keyword.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Material
2.1.1. Sample collection and preparation
1- The plants identifier should be mentioned.
2- Extraction procedures should be mentioned.
3. Results and Discussion
3.9. Antioxidant activity, TPC and TFC
1- The antioxidant activity should be compared with the standard like ascorbic acid.
3.10. Functional group analysis
1- In the formula (-CH2) the number ''2'' should be written in subscript font.
Tables:
1- Add the footnote under each table.
Conclusion:
1- Conclusion should be supported by the data.
Abbreviations:
1- A list of abbreviations should be inserted by the end of the manuscript before references.
References:
1- All scientific names of plants and species should be written in italic fonts.
2- Journal names should be written in a uniform manner, either in complete from or abbreviated.
Author Response
Response to Reviewer 1
RESPONSE: Thank you very much for your suggestions and changes requested, which have undoubtedly improved our paper. You will find below responses to your questions.
1- The abstract should be typed in the form of structured abstract including (Brief background, Aim, Methodology, Results, and Conclusion) with or without sub-headings according to author guidelines.
Answer: The corrections are made in the respective section.
2- In the unit (cm-1) the number (-1) should be written in superscript font.
Answer: The unit is corrected in respective section.
Keywords:
1- Add ''cucurbits'' as a new keyword.
Answer: Added in the section of keywords
- Materials and Methods
2.1. Material
2.1.1. Sample collection and preparation
1- The plants identifier should be mentioned.
Answer: Dear Honorable reviewers and editor, sample of this study was collected from a research study center of Indian government, and these research center is working under scientist only. Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiyana has recognized the plant material, see the attached bill in the pdf file.
2- Extraction procedures should be mentioned.
Answer: Preparation of seed extract
The method of [5] was adopted with some modifications for preparation of seed extract of each sample for analyzing functional properties of seed samples. Briefly, 100 ml ethanol (50%, v/v) was poured into 250 ml conical flask containing 5 g of ground seed sample. The flask was sealed and shaken continuous at 30C and 100 rpm (Rotation per minute) for 24 h on an orbital shaker (New Brunswick TM Innova 42R, SI42DM301834, USA). Subsequently, the extract was filter through Whatman No.1 filter paper. Then, the extract was evaporated using rotary vacuum evaporator (EYELA, Switzerland) to dryness. The resulting residue was extracted once in the same way and combined the extracts and store the extract at -20C. The prepared ethanolic seed extract was used for determination of total phenolic and flavonoid content in seed samples.
- Results and Discussion
3.9. Antioxidant activity, TPC and TFC
1- The antioxidant activity should be compared with the standard like ascorbic acid.
Answer: The comparison the given in the respective section
3.10. Functional group analysis
1- In the formula (-CH2) the number ''2'' should be written in subscript font.
Answer: The unit is corrected in respective section.
Tables:
1- Add the footnote under each table.
Answer: Footnote is added below all the tables
Conclusion:
1- Conclusion should be supported by the data.
Answer: The corrections are made in section of conclusion
Abbreviations:
1- A list of abbreviations should be inserted by the end of the manuscript before references.
Answer: All the abbreviations with their full forms are enlisted at the end of the manuscript before references.
References
1- All scientific names of plants and species should be written in italic fonts.
Answer: The Botanical name or the scientific name of plant and species are correct in the respective sections.
2- Journal names should be written in a uniform manner, either in complete from or abbreviated.
Answer: The references section was re-arranged as per Agronomy instructions for Authors.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
The article is devoted to the Comparative study of nutritional, antioxidant, thermal, morphological and diffraction properties of individual seeds of the cucurbit family.
The relevance of the article is beyond doubt. A wide and diverse set of instrumental methods for evaluating the properties of seeds was used in the work.
However, the article can be improved by the following additions:
1. It is necessary to clearly specify the purpose of the work.
2. It is not quite clear how the authors selected seeds for analysis - what was the sample size, and how was the screening control of their quality, in particular - hidden defects, which certainly affect the biochemical properties of seeds?
3. it is also not clear why seeds of different species of the cucurbit family were chosen rather than different varieties within the same crop? The variability of seed biochemical parameters within the same crop species, depending on the variety chosen, must inevitably be present.
4. the evaluation of SEM images needs to be objectified using image analysis techniques. Without it, the SEM data given are descriptive.
The article can be published after the revision.
Author Response
Response to Reviewer 2
RESPONSE: Thank you very much for your suggestions and changes requested, which have undoubtedly improved our paper. You will find below responses to your questions.
- It is necessary to clearly specify the purpose of the work.
Answer: The selected crops are common in day-to-day life of people, the awareness of consumption of these crops is increasing consistently. The seeds of these crops are generated as waste by processing sector. for instance, ash gourd vegetable is used for preparation of Petha (Indian sweet that hold nutrition and historical importance) give rise to large amount of seed waste and the government agencies are trying the best to utilize the seeds waste. The current study will hep to utilize the waste for fortification thus can overcome the nutritional security.
- It is not quite clear how the authors selected seeds for analysis - what was the sample size, and how was the screening control of their quality, in particular - hidden defects, which certainly affect the biochemical properties of seeds?
Answer: The generated seed waste by processing sector (of these crops) is in great amount, so seeds these crops were selected for analysis. About 15 kg of ash gourd vegetables, 25 kg of pumpkin vegetables, 50 kg of water melon fruits and 25 kg of musk melon fruits were purchased from Azadpur Mandi, Delhi, India. After cleaning, washing, drying and finally dehulling, the dehulled seeds were sorted from the damaged or spoiled seeds on the basis of quality parameters like colour, appearance any off flavor or smell etc.
- it is also not clear why seeds of different species of the cucurbit family were chosen rather than different varieties within the same crop? The variability of seed biochemical parameters within the same crop species, depending on the variety chosen, must inevitably be present.
Answer: The data on the nutritional composition of ash gourd seeds is scanty, while the nutritional profile of other three crops is well known. So, the detail comparison of there crops becomes necessary to utilize these seeds for food fortification successfully.
- the evaluation of SEM images needs to be objectified using image analysis techniques. Without it, the SEM data given are descriptive.
Answer: Dear Honorable reviewer, this is PhD degree related work and the student has done her best to complete all the parameters based on available resources and technique and expertise, this also reaching maximum time period of program. Kindly descriptive explanation may be considered this time, and other details will be proposed in future and will be included in another manuscript.
Reviewer 3 Report
The manuscript entitled "A comparative study on the nutritional, antioxidant, thermal, morphological and diffraction properties of selected cucurbit seeds" written by Sanghmitra R. Gade et al. deals with the actual topic and bring high novelty about the possibilities of using cucurbit seeds in human nutrition. The authors demonstrated a high level of scientific work and presented a comprehensive research in the manuscript. The manuscript contains all the necessary chapters. The importance of the research is clearly explained in the introduction. The material and methods are sufficiently described. The results are presented clearly and are discussed sufficiently. The most important findings of the research are summarized in the conclusion. I have only a few formal comments on the manuscript:
1. It would be useful to check the format of writing superscripts, also is need to check the percentages, somewhere in the text they are with a space between the number.
2. I recommend unifying the capitalization of the initial letters in the titles of chapters 3.6 and 3.7.
3. Line 356: there is an extra dot after the number.
4. Line 391: the name of the table does not need to be in brackets.
5. Line 409: there is a dot after the bracket.
6. Line 468: there are no spaces in the p-value bracket.
7. When describing the temperature, sometimes there is a space between the number and the unit, sometimes not. I kindly ask the authors to correct this.
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
Since the comments on the article were advisory in nature, including for future research, I believe that the article can be published in the current edition.
