## 2 Results and Discussion
### Phytochemical and Antioxidant Properties  
Figure 7A-D shows the phytochemical contents and antioxidant properties of drinking jelly made with strawberry concentrate and GF gelling agent at varying concentrations. The ascorbic acid (AsA) content in the drinking jelly samples tended to decrease with the increased concentration of the GF gelling agent. This is in accordance with the study of [PERSON] et al. [56]. The AsA range in the drinking jelly was observed between 20.50 mg and 15.10 mg. A higher level of AsA was found in the S1 samples, which gradually decreased as the GF concentration peaked, with S5 exhibiting the lowest AsA values among the samples. Overall, the results show a consistent decline in AsA concentration as the GF gelling agent content increases. AsA is known for its high sensitivity to oxidative conditions and environmental stressors; the structural and compositional changes induced by higher gelling agent concentrations may promote AsA degradation [57; 58]. AsA content decreases in jellies with higher concentrations of seaweed gelling agents due to metal ion-catalyzed oxidation [59], thermal degradation during gelation [60], pH changes [61], and restricted diffusion in the gel network [62].  
Similarly, the TPC levels in drinking jelly continuously decreased with the increased GF gelling agent concentrations. However, compared with the loss of AsA in drinking jelly, the decreased level of TPC between drinking jelly samples was minimal. Phenolic compounds generally exhibit greater stability compared to AsA, yet they remain susceptible to shifts in the food matrix that can affect their bioavailability and protective capacity [63]. TPC levels in the drinking jelly ranged between 8.50 mg and 6.50 mg. Among the samples, the S1 sample had the highest TPC level, while the S5 had the lowest TPC. Interactions between phenolics and gelling agent molecules, changes in \(\mathrm{a_{w}}\), or subtle alterations in ionic strength may all contribute to phenolic compound losses [64]. While the decrement in TPC is less pronounced than that of AsA, it still indicates that higher gelling agent levels may not be optimal for retaining these valuable phytochemicals. On the other hand, the antioxidant properties, such as scavenging activity against DPPH and ABTS radicals, were consistent with the level of phytochemicals. As the gelling agent concentration increases in the drinking jelly compositions, the gradual loss of these key phytochemicals translates into diminished DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activity. [PERSON] et al. [65] found that higher hydrocolloid concentrations in orange jellies reduced antioxidant activity, as indicated by DPPH and ABTS assays. This decline is associated with a loss of bioactive phytochemicals, such as phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid, influenced by the matrix composition and gelling agent levels. Furthermore, among the potency of radical scavenging by drinking jelly samples, the drinking jelly vastly controlled the ABTS as compared with the DPPH, and this can be concluded by their scavenging percentages, where ABTS scavenging ranged between 70.15% and 62.51%, and DPPH scavenging was between 65% and 57%. Overall, this study exhibited that the minimal concentration of GF gelling agent effectively retained more phytochemicals and antioxidant properties than the higher concentration of GF gelling agent.  
Figure 6: Textural properties (Firmness (**A**), Springiness (**B**), Cohisiveness (**C**), Gumminess (**D**), and Chewiness (**E**)) of drinking jelly made of strawberry fruit concentrate and different concentrations of GF gelling agent. Note: Different letters of the alphabet in the figure show significant differences. S1-S5 represent the drinking jelly samples prepared with varying concentrations of GF gelling agent: S1 (0.2%), S2 (0.4%), S3 (0.6%), S4 (0.8%), and S5 (1.0%).