Formulation and Evaluation of "MATRISVA"- A Maternal Nutraceutical Chocolate Bar Enriched with DHA, Vitamin D₃, and Natural Folate Sources

Maternal nutrition is pretty much one of the most important things that affects the health of both the mother and the developing fetus during pregnancy . If the diet lacks things like iron folate calcium vitamin D, and essential fatty acids, it can really raise the chances of anaemia, weak fetal growth, neural tube defects and other issues during pregnancy. So, there is this growing need for convenient, nutrient-dense, and also easy-to-accept dietary supplements, that can help maternal health in a more practical way.In this study, the aim was to create and also check a maternal nutraceutical chocolate bar, that is enriched with natural and functional ingredients. The final optimized mix included dark chocolate compound, cocoa butter, date powder, pumpkin seed powder, almond powder, moringa powder, spinach powder, honey powder, amla powder, DHA powder, a vitamin D₃ fortified powder, gum acacia, and vanilla flavour. The ingredients were not chosen randomly . They were selected mainly because they bring nutritional advantages like natural folate, iron, calcium, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, zinc, and vitamin C.The chocolate bar was made using the moulding method, where melted chocolate is combined with a fairly uniform blend of the nutraceutical ingredients. After preparation, the product was assessed for organoleptic traits, such as appearance, colour, texture, aroma, taste and overall acceptability. On the nutritional side, the resulting chocolate bar supplies a range of essential nutrients needed in pregnancy and also gives a tasty option compared to the more conventional supplements.Overall, the research concluded that this developed maternal nutraceutical chocolate bar could work as a convenient functional food, supporting maternal nutrition and fetal development. Plus, the use of natural ingredients likely improves both the nutritional strength and the way consumers accept it.