Protein concentrate from Lemna gibba and Lemna minor: authorised novel food in the EU

Conditions of use and maximum levels

Table 1, column "Conditions under which the novel food may be used", as written:

• Cereal bars: 10 g/100 g
• Prepacked bread and rolls: 1,7 g/100 g
• Powdered drink mixes: 20 g/100 g
• Noodles: 6 g/100 g
• Food supplements as defined in Directive 2002/46/EC for the adult population: 1 g/day

Additional specific labelling requirements

For Cereal bars; Prepacked bread and rolls; Powdered drink mixes; Noodles: 1. The designation of the novel food on the labelling of the foodstuffs containing it shall be ‘protein concentrate from the Lemna gibba and Lemna minor plants’ or ‘protein concentrate from the Lemna gibba plant’ depending on the presence of Lemna minor. 2. Where foods containing the novel food include an amount of vitamin K that is considered significant in accordance with point 2 of Part A of Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, the nutrition declaration shall indicate the amount of vitamin K.

For Food supplements as defined in Directive 2002/46/EC for the adult population: 1. The designation of the novel food on the labelling of the foodstuffs containing it shall be ‘protein concentrate from the Lemna gibba and Lemna minor plants’ or ‘protein concentrate from Lemna gibba plant’ depending on the presence of Lemna minor. 2. The labelling of food supplements containing the novel food shall bear a statement that they should only be consumed by adults. 3. Where food supplements containing the novel food include an amount of vitamin K that is considered significant in accordance with point 2 of Part A of Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and Article 8 of Directive 2002/46/EC, the labelling of food supplements containing novel food shall indicate the amount of vitamin K.

Specification (Table 2)

Table 2 of the Annex, row with the same name, as written:

Description/Definition:

The novel food is a protein concentrate produced from the Lemna gibba (70-100 %) and Lemna minor (0-30 %) plant species. The manufacturing process of the protein concentrate involves mechanical separation of the protein fraction from insoluble fibres, followed by precipitation under acidic conditions, pasteurisation and spray drying.

The cultivation is carried out in basins in greenhouses under controlled conditions. The water used for the cultivation is filtered and UV-treated. The cultivation conditions are monitored to control the growth of algae, yeast and fungi. The pH is maintained between 5,5 and 6,5.

Characteristics/composition:

Appearance: green powder

Moisture: 1,5-8 %

Protein (Nx6,25): 60-75 %

Ash: 4-12 %

Fat: 2-11 %

Fibre: 6-17 %

Ash: 4-12 %

Vitamins:

β-Carotene: < 755 mg/kg

Vitamin K1 (Phylloquinone): < 16 mg/100 g

Minerals:

Boron: < 10 mg/kg

Copper: < 12 mg/kg

Molybdenum: < 40 mg/kg

Iron: < 670 mg/kg

Zinc: < 50 mg/kg

Manganese: < 100 mg/kg

Antinutritional factors:

Oxalic acid: < 1 900 mg/kg

Heavy metals:

Lead (mg/kg): ≤ 0,3

Cadmium (mg/kg): ≤ 0,2

Mercury (mg/kg): ≤ 0,1

Arsenic (mg/kg): ≤ 0,2

Cyanotoxins:

Microcystins-/Nodularin: < 0,19 mg/kg

Other contaminants:

Lysino-alanine (bound): < 500 mg/kg

Lysino-alanine (free): < 10 mg/kg

Nitrate: < 3 000 mg/kg

Pesticides:

Pesticide levels in accordance with Code number 0254000 (‘Subgroup (d) watercresses’ in the group of Leaf vegetables, herbs and edible flowers) set out in Regulation (EC) No 396/2005.

Microbiological criteria:

Total colony count: < 104 CFU/g

Bacillus cereus: < 100 CFU/g

Clostridium perfringens: < 100 CFU/g

Coagulase-positive Staphylococci: < 100 CFU/g

Escherichia coli: < 10 CFU/g

Enterobacteriaceae: < 10 CFU/g

Listeria monocytogenes: Not detected in 25 g

Salmonella spp.: Not detected in 25 g

Yeasts and moulds: < 10 CFU/g

CFU: colony forming units.

Source and version

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470, Annex, Union list of novel foods, Table 1. Consolidated text of 10 August 2026. The text above is copied from that document without change except that amendment markers are removed. It is not advice and it does not decide whether a particular product is covered.

• Consolidated text on EUR-Lex

Want the whole list as one table?

If we publish the Union list as one table (name, food category, maximum level), we write to you once. We use the email for nothing else.