Researchers in the Netherlands will submit an application to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) within the next month in order to have duckweed classified as a “novel food” fit for human consumption, it was announced yesterday.
If successful – and the researchers expect it to be – the plant which is said to add a “nutty spinachy” taste to dishes as diverse as salads to curries could quickly become a supermarket staple, taking its place alongside the millennial favorites of avocados, kale and artichokes.
Despite its dubious reputation amongst gardeners, duckweed is incredibly high in protein. It is also rich in vitamins and nutrients such as flavonoids and carotenoids – antioxidants that are thought to play an important role in decreasing the risk of cancers and other diseases.
Experts say duckweed also has great potential as a food source because it grows very quickly and it does not need precious arable land for cultivation. They say it may also prove to be an ideal crop to grow in the new high tech vertical farms that are springing up across the United Kingdom.