Duckweed has been eaten for decades in some parts of Southeast Asia, as it has a high protein content and can grow at rapid rates. The plant lives on the surface of freshwater, made up of a leaf and a dangling root that doesn’t attach to the ground, much like a duck’s swimming feet.

Duckweed, if harnessed effectively, could be a fantastic way to decrease the cost of plant-based protein, as it has been shown to contain much higher levels of proteins than other popular plants. One study suggested that duckweed grown under ideal conditions can have up to 45% protein, and the NIH found the protein density of duckweeds to be “higher than that of soybean, rice, and corn.” Some studies even suggest protein yields 8.3-30 times greater than that of  soybeans when grown in the same amount of space. On top of that, duckweed is extremely prolific, and can actually double within 48 hours. Due to its desirable attributes, it was considered for human consumption during World War II, but researchers found trouble isolating the protein. Most of the plant’s protein comes from RuBisCO, an enzyme involved in photosynthesis that is pale and odorless, making it a perfect candidate for human consumption, as it can be mixed with other foods without ruining the original dish. RuBisCO concentrate has even been found to be very applicable in the food industry, as it can foam and form emulsions and gels. 

Unfortunately, separating RuBisCO from the other parts of the plant, which don’t taste as good, is easier said than done. To isolate RuBisCO, various physical and chemical processes must be conducted that result in a loss of protein of up to 75-95%. However, a study published in September 2023 used statistical modeling to determine the ideal purification methods in order to isolate an impressive 60% protein. The study notes that research is still early, but this promising statistic could provide high concentrations of protein at a rapid pace. This could decrease the cost of protein, which can feed more people, and lower GHG emissions as a substitute for meat.

I’m surprised I’ve never heard of duckweed, especially with how much potential it seems to have. This week’s article was another one fed to me by Google’s algorithm, which is honestly a really nice way to get updates like this. There’s so many advancements going on that I’ve never heard of, so it’s actually really nice when the people selling all of my data can actually tell me about innovations and news in science. It makes me wish that more of social media had this more educational framework.

I’m definitely interested in the work being done on RuBisCO, which could be revolutionary considering the fact that it’s universal to all plants. Hopefully research continues, because producing cheap protein would be fantastic for feeding more people and offering meat substitutes, which would be beneficial for the environment. Stay tuned to learn with me!

All of the data mentioned in this week’s article, with the exception of the NIH study, came from the main article from The Conversation. That article, along with a review of The Conversation‘s credibility, is included below.

Baek, GahYoung, et al. “Duckweeds: Their Utilization, Metabolites and Cultivation.” Applied Biological Chemistry, vol. 64, no. 1, Oct. 2021, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13765-021-00644-z.

Bazinet, Laurent, and Tristan Muller. “A Small Aquatic Plant, Duckweed, Could Revolutionize the Food of Tomorrow.” The Conversation, 17 July 2024, theconversation.com/a-small-aquatic-plant-duckweed-could-revolutionize-the-food-of-tomorrow-233391. Accessed 19 July 2024.

“The Conversation – Media Bias/Fact Check.” Media Bias/Fact Check, 2017, mediabiasfactcheck.com/the-conversation/.