## 3 Results and Discussion
### Color Analysis  
The results for the CIELAB color parameters (\(L^{*}\), \(a^{*}\), \(b^{*}\), and C*) after 30 days of ripening are presented in Table 3, with \(p\)-values detailed in Table S4 (see Supplementary Materials). \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline
**Color** & **Control** & **Supplemented Products** \\ \cline{2-3}
**Parameters [a]** & **SHGC-C** & **SHGC-PP** & **SHGC-U** \\ \hline \(L^{*}\) & 68.05 \(\pm\) 1.82  & 65.35 \(\pm\) 3.22  \\ \(a^{*}\) & 3.41 \(\pm\) 0.30  & 8.06 \(\pm\) 0.88  & -0.91 \(\pm\) 0.40  \\ \(b^{*}\) & 26.54 \(\pm\) 1.04  & 14.80 \(\pm\) 1.45  & 18.81 \(\pm\) 0.92  \\ C* & 26.76 \(\pm\) 1.05  & 16.89 \(\pm\) 1.15  & 18.84 \(\pm\) 0.91  \\ \(\Delta\)E & n.a. & 13.86 \(\pm\) 0.84  & 9.26 \(\pm\) 0.50  \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Color parameters measured for the SHGCs * after 30 days of cheese ripening. The \(L^{\star}\) parameter, which measures lightness, ranged from 62.34 to 68.05. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences between SHGC-C and SHGC-PP (\(p\) = 0.0004) and also SHGC-C and SHGC-U (\(p\) = 0.0232). Although the overall impact of seaweed supplementation was relatively small, supplemented cheeses appeared darker than the control, likely due to the distribution of seaweed particles within the cheese matrix. The \(L^{\star}\) value of SHGC-C (68) in this study was lower than those reported by [PERSON] et al. [81] for goat cheese--91.20 (external) and 92.33 (internal)--but was more consistent with the values (76.8-81) found by [PERSON] et al. [82] for Portuguese goat cheeses. The redness to greenness (\(a^{\star}\) parameter) parameter exhibited significant differences among all samples (\(p\) = 0.0002). SHGC-PP had the highest value (8.06), which aligns with the pigment composition of red seaweeds (phylum _Rlodophyta_). These seaweeds are rich in chlorophylls (\(a\) and \(d\)), carotenoids (\(\alpha\)- and \(\beta\)-carotene), xanthophylls (lutein), and phycobilins [83], particularly R-phycoerythrin (R-PE) [84], a dominant pigment that contributes to their red coloration [85]. Additionally, phycocyanin (PC), a blue-colored pigment, further enhances the characteristic pigmentation of some _Rlodophyta_ by masking other pigments [86]. This interaction ultimately results in a purple hue, as observed in certain seaweeds such as _Porphyna_ spp. Conversely, SHGC-U exhibited a negative \(a^{\star}\) value (\(-0.9\)), indicating a shift toward the green spectrum. This can be attributed to the high chlorophyll content in green seaweeds (phylum _Chlorophyta_), which consists of approximately 31% chlorophyll \(a\) and 15% chlorophyll \(b\). These pigments, along with smaller amounts of \(\alpha\)-carotene (\(\sim\)11%) and 9-cis-\(\beta\)-carotene (\(\sim\)14%) [6; 87; 83], are responsible for the distinct greenish hue of SHGC-U. The yellowish-to-blue (\(b^{\star}\) parameter) values showed statistically significant differences across all cheese samples (\(p\) = 0.0002), following the trend SHGC-C \(>\) SHGC-U \(>\) SHGC-PP. The control cheese exhibited a \(b^{\star}\) value of 26.5, considerably higher than the 12.03 \(\pm\) 0.37 reported by [PERSON] et al. [88] for goat's cheese at 21 days of ripening. This increase in \(b^{\star}\) has been linked to proteolysis and the Maillard reaction, both of which contribute to browning and reduced luminosity [89]. The distinct pigmentation of red seaweeds is attributed to phycobiloproteins (PBPs), chromophore-containing pigments that impart hues ranging from bright crimson to deep blue [83; 90]. Specifically, the blue phycocyanin (PC, \(\lambda_{\text{max}}\) = 610-625 nm) and blue-green allophyocyanin (APC, \(\lambda_{\text{max}}\) = 650-660 nm) [83] significantly influenced the color shift in SHGC-PP, driving its \(b^{\star}\) value toward the blue spectrum. Conversely, the greener hue of SHGC-U can be attributed to its high chlorophyll \(a\) (\(\sim\)31%) and \(b\) (\(\sim\)15%) content, which are characteristic of green seaweeds.