The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has approved the consumption of duckweed, also known as water lentils. This healthy and sustainable vegetable may soon appear on supermarket shelves.
Ten years of research
Earlier this week, the EFSA approved the production and consumption of two types of duckweed as fresh vegetables. This decision followed applications from the Dutch Wageningen University, which conducted nearly a decade of research into the potential of this aquatic plant.
Duckweed is known as small floating plants found in ponds or ditches, but it is important to note that wild variants are not suitable for human consumption due to hygiene concerns, as the plant easily absorbs harmful substances. However, water lentils from controlled cultivation are perfectly safe, healthy, and sustainable, the study says. Its proteins are well digested and absorbed by the body, with no adverse health effects such as allergic reactions, constipation, or increased blood pressure, according to researcher Ingrid van der Meer. In Asia, the plant has been a traditional staple food for a longer time.
Simple to cultivate
The vegetable contains vitamins A, C and E, as well as B12. That vitamin is almost exclusively found in animal products, making duckweed of particular importance for vegetarians. It also offers minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Moreover, it has a high protein content, comparable to soy and double that of spinach. Therefore, it is not too far-fetched to view water lentils as a new type of superfood, that could play a role in the protein transition.
Additionally, it is quite simple to cultivate the crop: it just needs a thin layer of water, and no pesticides or additional lighting. The plant multiplies rapidly, allowing for weekly harvesting. Due to its minimal land requirements, experts view duckweed as one of the crops that can mitigate the impact of climate change and reduce the pressure on intensive land use.
Versatile product
The vegetable is said to have a rather neutral taste – somewhere between spinach, watercress and endive. Its applications are diverse: in mashed dishes or soups, ravioli or quiche, for example. Water lentils could also be used in shakes, spreads, pestos, or vegetable burgers.
Currently, the plant has not yet appeared on supermarket shelves as there are not enough growers yet to ensure a reliable production. “Growers, producers and supermarkets are all looking at each other. Who will dare to take the first step? This needs to be tackled collectively as a chain.”
The aquatic vegetable will now first appear as a special ingredient in (exclusive) restaurants. Later, it may be sold in stores (fresh-packed or frozen) or processed into dishes. This will likely take a few more years: “It would be wonderful if water lentils are on supermarket shelves in about three years.”
Watch an introductory video – in Dutch – here:
