Overview
This 29-page systematic review covers the nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, safety considerations, and consumer acceptance of Lemnoideae (duckweeds and water lentils) as human food. The safety section summarizes EFSA-proposed maximum limits for Wolffia intended for human consumption (Table 3) and notes manganese as the primary safety concern for protein concentrates. The review concludes that typical whole-plant consumption (100-300 g FW/day) raises no overall safety concerns under EFSA’s assessment framework, provided cultivation conditions are controlled.
Key numbers
EFSA safety specifications for fresh Wolffia for human consumption (Table 3, mg/kg, basis assumed FW for fresh plant):
- Lead: <0.3 mg/kg FW
- Inorganic arsenic: <0.10 mg/kg FW
- Cadmium: <0.2 mg/kg FW
- Total chromium: <1 mg/kg FW
- Mercury: <0.10 mg/kg FW
- Manganese: <6 mg/kg FW
Additional notes from review:
- Arsenic accumulation range cited across controlled cultivations: 0.3-2.52 mg/kg (basis and species mixed across cited sources)
- Manganese identified as the primary safety concern for protein concentrates derived from Lemnoideae
- EFSA concluded typical consumption raises no safety concerns when cultivation conditions are controlled
Methods (brief)
Systematic literature review. Table 3 values are EFSA-sourced regulatory specifications (Novel Food dossier context), not primary ICP-MS measurements. Original measurement studies are cited by the review authors; provenance of individual EFSA limit values is in the EFSA 2022 opinion (DOI 10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7598).
Evidence Fitness
Regulatory limits and safety review narrative only. This source provides the regulatory reference frame (EFSA specifications) and identifies manganese as the primary concern. It does not provide new primary food concentration measurements. Use for regulatory limits section and contextual accumulation discussion; do not use Table 3 values as food concentration data.
Related evidence
Update history
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