A new vegetable is entering the food scene.

Post #400,991 by Andrew Grygus 4/17/15 10:12:08 PM Reply	A new vegetable is entering the food scene. I had to take some time out from other projects to update my Arums page, adding a new and very different item - Duckweed. It is used as food in Southeast Asia, but in Africa has been used mainly as highly nutritious animal fodder. It grows so fast under ideal conditions production ponds have to be harvested daily. Under the name "water lentil", it is being cultivated and processed in various ways. It will be used as an ingredient, not on its own, and is being evaluated by a number of food processors. The grower has self certified as GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) and submitted to the FDA for a letter of "no objection". Duckweed is quite a bit higher in protein than soybeans (and is probably safer), with a balanced mix similar to whey protein. It also provides fiber and many other important nutrients. It is interesting that the Titan Arum produces the largest flower in the world, up to 15 feet high, while another arum, Wolfia duckweed produces the smallest, at 1/100th inch (0.3mm) long. Arums
Post #400,992 by crazy 4/17/15 10:22:42 PM Reply	I used it in my fish pond. It extracts nitrates, provides shade and cover for the skittish fish. I bought a handful for a dollar. 2 weeks later it sucked enough nitrates and blocked enough sun to change the murky algea filled water to crystal clear. I corralled it to cover about a third of the pond. After that I'd use the fish net scooper to pull out the excess. Daily. It doubles in size daily.
Post #400,993 by drook 4/17/15 10:44:43 PM Reply	And it's as good as whey protein? Gonna have to do some research -- Drew
Post #400,994 by Andrew Grygus 4/17/15 11:11:38 PM Reply	You can start here . . . . Food Navigator
Post #401,033 by boxley 4/20/15 12:45:43 PM Reply	once it cleaned the pond what did it live on? Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free American and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 59 years. meep
Post #401,036 by crazy 4/20/15 5:37:37 PM Reply	fish shit
Post #401,069 by boxley 4/21/15 11:59:24 PM Reply	okay, so when growing in a third world unregulated farm who knows what kinds of poison it would suck up and be poisonous with. Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free American and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 59 years. meep
Post #401,072 by Andrew Grygus 4/22/15 12:41:43 AM Reply	Well, yes . . . This plant can be used to efficiently decontaminate water laden with toxic metals. Using this stuff as a food resource requires careful control of the environment, as in any aquaculture operation.
Post #401,075 by drook 4/22/15 7:37:43 AM Reply	But that's not going to happen when it gets trendy -- Drew

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