Development and acceptability of mung beans and purple taro cookies as a supplementary food for pregnant women

Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) in pregnancy remains a major public health problem associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. This Research and Development (R&D) study developed functional cookies using mung bean and purple taro as locally available nutrient-dense ingredients. Conducted from June to August 2025, the study involved cookie formulation, proximate analysis, antioxidant testing, and organoleptic and acceptability assessment. This laboratory-based R&D study did not include clinical outcome measurements. Three formulations were evaluated. Sensory testing by 30 trained panelists showed significant differences across all parameters (p < 0.05), with flavor receiving the highest score. Acceptability testing among 30 pregnant women revealed that 76.7% "liked" or "liked very much" the product. Proximate results showed moisture (8.18%), ash (4.96%), protein (9.65%), fat (14.90%), and crude fiber (10.20%). These findings suggest that cookies formulated from mung bean and purple taro are acceptable, nutritionally promising, and potentially useful as a supplementary functional food to support maternal nutrition and reduce CED risk..