The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has officially approved water lentils, or duckweed, for production and consumption as fresh vegetables in the EU. This approval follows nearly a decade of research by Wageningen University & Research (WUR). To ensure the safety, health benefits, and sustainability of water lentils for consumers, a comprehensive Novel Food dossier was compiled and submitted.
To reduce pressure on land use and the impact on climate change, we need to move to a more plant-based diet, according to a press release from Wageningen University and Research. According to research associate Ingrid van der Meer — initiator and driving force behind the study — water lentils can play an important role in this protein transition.
“Water lentils are high in vitamins and minerals and have a high protein content at dry weight. In addition, their exponential growth means they produce very high yields per hectare, so cultivation requires relatively little space. Especially if you grow them in stacked layers. And because they grow in a closed environment on a layer of water, no agricultural land is needed.”
Strict EU Regulations
Until now, water lentils had not been authorised for human consumption in the EU.
“EU legislation defines food products and crops that were not being consumed to a significant degree in Europe before 1997 as Novel Food” said Van der Meer. “To grow and sell such a crop, you need to meet strict requirements. In other parts of the world, like Asia, water lentils are already eaten on a much wider scale. But that is not a criterion for the EFSA. Despite being mentioned in a Dutch herb book from 1644, water lentils have never found their way to the general public here.”
Creating Novel Food Dossier
With the protein transition in mind, Van der Meer aimed to promote water lentils by applying for EFSA approval. To achieve this, she and her research team at Wageningen Plant Research, in collaboration with colleagues from Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, compiled a Novel Food dossier.
“Some of the things we needed to demonstrate was that water lentils can be grown in a clean and sustainable way and that they are healthy and safe for consumption. We did this by cultivating them in a grower’s greenhouse. This material was then subjected to numerous analyses, such as protein and starch content, the amount of minerals and metals and the presence of possible pathogens, pesticides and toxic substances. And lots more.”
EFSA Approval Finally Obtained
“Two years after submission and additional questions from EFSA, the scientific committee said that the manganese content was still too high,” said Van der Meer adding that despite all the efforts and evidence, EFSA was not convinced of everything.
“After modifications to the cultivation systems, we succeeded in reducing the level of this mineral to below 6 milligrams per kilogram, which was the (arbitrary) level set by the EFSA. Two years later, they were convinced by this. Last July, we received confirmation that water lentils are considered safe, provided everything meets all the levels and specifications that we demonstrated. After nearly a decade of work, that was a huge relief. With Ursula von der Leyen, as President of the European Commission, having given her signature, water lentils have finally been included in EU legislation, paving the way for large-scale production and consumption. I’m really happy about that.”
Supermarket Timeline
WR’s researchers are working with partners to further develop water lentil products, exploring packaging and preservation methods. One possibility is freezing them into cubes, while another is offering them as fresh produce, which lasts longer than chopped lettuce. Water lentils can also be incorporated into products like pesto, ravioli, and pakora. The main challenge now is gaining acceptance from the food industry, but Van der Meer is optimistic that water lentils will be available on supermarket shelves within three years.
