Duckweed: a new sustainable vegetable approved for the European market

In 2025, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) officially approved duckweed, also known as water lentils, for production and consumption as a fresh vegetable within the EU. This approval is the result of nearly ten years of research by Wageningen University & Research (WUR). WUR researchers submitted a so-called Novel Food dossier containing comprehensive research to demonstrate the plant’s safety, nutritional value, and sustainability—requirements for obtaining such approval.

Duckweed is a small, fast-growing water plant with great potential: it is rich in vitamins and minerals, tasty, and can be cultivated very sustainably. Because it grows in a closed environment on a thin layer of water, no agricultural land is needed. The plant reproduces rapidly by dividing in two, and the cultivation can be layered—for instance in greenhouses or vertical farms—resulting in a very high yield per hectare.

Only since 2025 has duckweed been officially permitted to be cultivated and sold as a vegetable in the EU. Under European law, foods that were not widely consumed in Europe before 1997 fall under the category novel food. To obtain approval, it must be thoroughly proven that the product is safe for human consumption.

In other parts of the world—such as Asia—duckweed has long been eaten, but that is not a determining factor for EFSA. Even though a Dutch herbal book from 1644 mentions duckweed, it never reached the general public here.

To make approval possible for Europe, WUR compiled a comprehensive Novel Food dossier with data on composition, cultivation, digestion, and food safety. The researchers demonstrated that duckweed can be grown cleanly and sustainably, and that it is both safe and nutritious. A greenhouse grower cultivated it on a commercial scale, followed by numerous analyses—from protein, starch, and vitamin content to the possible presence of undesirable substances such as metals, pesticides, allergens, and microorganisms.

The effects on the human body were also examined. Intervention studies with volunteers showed that duckweed proteins are well digested and absorbed, and that no negative health effects occur—such as allergic reactions, constipation, or elevated blood pressure.

Taste tests followed, in which participants tried various dishes—from soups to quiches—and appreciated the mild, fresh flavor. The dishes with duckweed were rated just as highly as the same dishes made with spinach.

Duckweed also scored high on all essential amino acids, meeting the recommended levels set by the World Health Organization (WHO), even for infant nutrition. After EFSA received additional information on cultivation composition and adjustments to lower manganese levels, it concluded that duckweed is safe for human consumption. In 2025, official approval was thus enshrined in European legislation.

Alongside the scientific process, WUR also worked on the next step: introducing duckweed into the food chain. Together with growers, producers, and retailers, WUR is investigating how duckweed can be processed and packaged—for example, as a fresh product in bags, as frozen cubes, or as an ingredient in other foods. Possible applications include pesto, ravioli, or soup.

According to Ingrid van der Meer, this presents a real market opportunity: “There’s a lot of enthusiasm, but also caution. Growers, producers, and supermarkets are watching one another—because whoever starts cultivating must also have buyers. This has to be tackled collectively as a supply chain. We’re already seeing chefs experiment with it, and that helps consumers become familiar with this new vegetable.”

Thanks to the approval, duckweed can now also be grown in Europe as a sustainable vegetable. With its rapid growth, high yield, and minimal space requirements, it can play a role in local production systems—without putting pressure on farmland and without the use of pesticides.

Ingrid van der Meer looks back proudly on the process: “After nearly ten years of work, the approval was a huge relief. Now the path is open for larger-scale production and consumption. It would be wonderful if, in a few years, duckweed is simply available on supermarket shelves.”

The knowledge is there, the approval is granted—now it’s up to the market to embrace this new vegetable.

Through ten years of interdisciplinary research, WUR made the European approval of duckweed as a fresh vegetable possible. This opens new opportunities for sustainable, efficient, and local food production.

• Proven safety – Research led to official EU approval.
• Sustainable cultivation – High yield per hectare, no farmland or pesticides needed.
• From lab to market – WUR guides the transition from research to application.