Duckweed as a Novel Functional Food—Implications for Gut Microbiota Modulation

Abstract

The gastrointestinal microbiota has a pivotal role in human health, orchestrating metabolic homeostasis, immunological activity, and nutrient bioavailability. Dietary modulation of gut microbiota is the simplest and most effective approach to preventing and managing metabolic and inflammatory disorders. Duckweed, particularly Wolffia species, has recently emerged as a sustainable, nutrient‐dense functional food with potential microbiome‐mediated benefits. Beyond its high‐quality protein content, duckweed provides fermentable fibers, polyphenols, minerals, and micronutrients including vitamin B 12 —that potentially influence gut microbial composition and metabolic activity. Evidence from compositional analyses, in vitro human colonic fermentation models, animal studies, and controlled dietary interventions suggests that duckweed‐derived substrates support short‐chain fatty acid production, generate bioactive phenolic metabolites, and interact with probiotic taxa, positioning duckweed as a prebiotic‐like matrix with synbiotic potential. Clinical studies within whole‐diet frameworks, such as green‐Mediterranean dietary patterns incorporating Wolffia globosa , report favorable metabolic outcomes alongside microbiome‐associated signals. This review synthesizes mechanistic, preclinical, and clinical evidence to reframe duckweed not just as another alternative protein, but as a microbiota‐accessible, synbiotic‐ready food matrix, while identifying the critical evidence gaps that currently limit clinical translation and regulatory constraints.