## 3 Results and Discussion
### Physicochemical and Sensorial Characterization of Gummy Candies
Moreover, as depicted in Figure 4c, the panel was equally distributed by gender (50% male and 50% female), ensuring a balanced representation in the sensory evaluation and eliminating potential biases related to gender preferences. This process ensures that the nutritional benefits are effectively presented, boosting market acceptance. These results also suggest that encapsulation can be adapted to integrate other bioactive compounds into similar formulations, expanding the variety of fortified foods that meet specific nutritional needs [57; 58]. The principal component analysis (PCA) in Figure 5 simplifies the interpretation of the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of gummy candy formulations enriched with encapsulated guinea pig blood erythrocytes. The first two principal components explained 100% of the variance; PC1 accounted for 82.96%, and PC2 for 17.04%. This distribution reflects a strong influence of the variables associated with PC1 in the differentiation of the formulations [59; 60]. Figure 3: FTIR spectra of gummy candies with added encapsulated erythrocytes from guinea pig blood (F1, F2, and F3 are the formulations). PCA revealed that F3 clusters in the positive region of PC1 are associated with high soluble solids, carbohydrates, protein, iron, pH, and sensory attributes such as texture, aroma, and flavor. These results reinforce that this formulation has a superior profile in nutritional quality and sensory acceptability. On the other hand, F1 (4% EEGPB) is positioned in the negative region of PC1, standing out for its higher moisture content, lightness (\(L^{\star}\)), and chroma \(b^{\star}\), which could be related to a softer texture and lower solid concentration. F2 occupies an intermediate position in the graph, showing a balance between the characteristics of F1 and F3. It is moderately associated with variables such as color and fiber, suggesting that it presents a stable structural matrix and acceptable sensory attributes but without reaching the levels of nutrient concentration and sensory quality observed in F3. This balance makes it a viable alternative, especially for applications where a balanced formulation regarding nutritional and physicochemical properties is a priority. In addition, the analysis showed that moisture and lightness are negatively correlated with variables such as iron, soluble solids, and protein content, indicating that an increase in one of these physicochemical characteristics implies a decrease in the others. This negative correlation reflects the influence of EEGPB content on the balance between sensory and nutritional properties. Finally, the PCA identified F3 as the most suitable formulation, given its balance between physicochemical and sensory properties. This finding suggests that increased EEGPB concentration improves nutritional attributes and product acceptance. Figure 4: (**a**) Acceptability scores for color, aroma, taste, and texture; (**b**) preference test results (% of participants favoring each formulation); (**c**) gender distribution of the sensory panel. According to the recommended daily iron intake, the dose for adults is 100-200 mg/day, while for children, it is approximately 3-6 mg/kg/day [61]. In one study, children ingested one gummy with heme iron (5 mg of elemental iron) each daily for 21 days. The results showed a significant increase in hemoglobin levels in all groups of participating children, and 93.9% of the children were no longer anemic at the end of treatment [62]. Thus, to meet their daily iron needs, a child would need between 6 and 7 gummies per day, depending on their weight and the specific doses of iron needed to meet their daily requirements.