Formulation and Evaluation of Anti- Anemic and Anti-Oxidant Gummies

ABSTRACTAnemia, particularly iron deficiency anemia, is a widespread nutritional disorder thatcontinues to pose a significant public health challenge. Conventional iron supplements areoften associated with poor compliance due to unpleasant taste, gastrointestinal side effects,and difficulty in swallowing, especially among children and elderly individuals. To overcomethese limitations, the present study was undertaken to develop and evaluate anti-anemicgummies using sweet potato and pomegranate as natural functional ingredients. Sweet potatowas selected for its nutritional content and supportive role in micronutrient intake, whilepomegranate was incorporated due to its antioxidant properties and potential to enhance ironabsorption. Sucrose was used as a sweetening agent to improve palatability, and agar-agar, aplant-based gelling agent, was employed to provide the desired gummy texture. Suitablepreservatives were added to ensure microbial safety and product stability.The gummies were prepared using a controlled heating and moulding technique, with carefuloptimization of formulation variables to achieve acceptable texture, appearance, and taste.The developed formulations were subjected to evaluation for physical characteristics, pH,moisture content, and texture uniformity. Sensory evaluation was conducted to assessconsumer acceptability, and stability studies were performed to determine the shelf life of the product under specified storage conditions. Microbial analysis was also carried out to ensureproduct safety.The results indicated that the formulated anti-anemic gummies possessed satisfactoryphysicochemical properties, good sensory acceptability, and adequate stability. The studysuggests that gummies formulated with sweet potato and pomegranate may serve as apromising, consumer-friendly nutritional approach for supporting anemia management, withpotential for further development as a functional food or nutraceutical product.