When stored in optimal conditions, sea lettuce is generally shelf stable for up to 2 years for whole dried products and up to 1 year for flaked or powdered products. Exposure to light may cause discoloration and nutrient loss, while exposure to moisture and oxygen can promote microbial growth. Therefore, buyers must work with suppliers who follow stringent packaging and storage protocols during transportation.
A variety of species in the Ulva genus (eg. Lactuca, Intestinalis, Fasciata, Prolifera) are marketed as sea lettuce. However, novel food authorization in the EU and UK may only be provided to some of these species. Therefore, buyers must ensure that their suppliers are selling them the correct species of sea lettuce for their market, in addition to complying with general food safety & import regulations listed below.
Due to its mild flavor and widespread use in Japanese and Korean cuisine, sea lettuce does not pose any major challenges with consumer acceptance relative to other seaweeds. Name recognition of sea lettuce is limited compared to kelp and sea moss; however, buyers may have to invest in consumer education and marketing.
Regulations governing seaweeds generally and sea lettuce specifically vary across markets. We have provided an overview here of USA, EU, and UK regulations.
Sea Lettuce does not have any specific regulatory or labeling challenges in the US. Use of seaweed in food and nutraceuticals is governed by the FDA, and seaweeds utilized as a food or nutraceutical ingredient must comply with general FDA food safety standards, facility registration, heavy metal regulations, and labeling requirements.
However, there are no additional seaweed-specific labeling requirements or standards issued by the FDA as of January 2025.
Specific markets within the US have additional regulations, namely New York and California. In New York, seaweed processors must obtain a 20-C Food Processing License and comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) as outlined in 21 CFR Part 117. Additionally, a process review from an approved authority is required to identify and mitigate potential hazards associated with seaweed.
In California, Prop 65 requires businesses to provide warnings about significant exposures to chemicals known to the state to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. This is relevant for sea lettuce due to potential contamination of heavy metals in the supply chain. Therefore, sea lettuce products intended for sale in California must go through additional heavy metal testing to ensure that they do not meet the thresholds for heavy metals under Prop 65, or have a prominent label placed with a clear warning regarding the potential health risks of heavy metals.
Seaweeds, including sea lettuce, that are imported into the US must be processed in an FDA-registered facility, comply with HACCP and FSVP regulations, and cannot be sourced from protected areas or be from endangered species as defined by the USFWS and NOAA.
Conclusion: While there are no specific labeling requirements for sea lettuce in the US, two of the largest markets (New York and California), have additional requirements that buyers must be aware of. These can be mitigated by working with suppliers that are FDA regulated, compliant with the relevant GMP, and sourcing sea lettuce with low levels of heavy metals.
In the EU, the regulatory status of seaweeds is determined by their history of consumption before May 15, 1997. Foods not consumed to a significant degree before this date are classified as novel foods under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283, necessitating pre-market authorization.
According to the EU Novel Food Status Catalogue, Ulva Lactuca and Ulva intestinalis are listed as “Not novel in food,” indicating they have a history of significant consumption within the EU before the 1997 cutoff. Consequently, these species do not require additional authorization before going to market.
However, this does not apply to other species commonly sold as sea lettuce, such as Ulva Prolifera or Ulva fasciata. Buyers utilizing these seaweeds must ensure that their suppliers have received pre-market authorization for their sale in the EU. Additionally, all seaweeds must comply with the EU’s General Food Law Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 for safety and consumer protection.
Seaweeds including sea lettuce imported into the EU must include additional requirements, such as Safety Data Sheets (SDS), Technical Data Sheets (TDS), and Certificates of Analysis (CoA), as well as a phytosanitary analysis.
Conclusion: In the EU, Ulva lactuca and Ulva intestinalis are not classified as novel foods and do not require pre-market authorization. However, other species like Ulva prolifera or Ulva fasciata may require authorization, and buyers should ensure that their suppliers have obtained the relevant authorization.
The UK retained much of the EU’s food safety regulation post-Brexit. Therefore, sea lettuce faces the same treatment and challenges as it did in the EU, namely novel food authorization. While Ulva Lactuca does not require novel food authorization, other species of sea lettuce are not explicitly mentioned. The UK FSA provides a consultation process (Article 4) for determining the novel status of a food product, which can be engaged for buying and processing other varieties such as Ulva Prolifera and Ulva Fasciata.
Like the EU, seaweeds including sea lettuce imported into the UK must include additional requirements, such as Safety Data Sheets (SDS), Technical Data Sheets (TDS), and Certificates of Analysis (CoA), as well as a phytosanitary analysis.
Conclusion: The regulations regarding sea lettuce in the UK are largely similar to that of the EU, and may have specific challenges regarding the specific species utilized.
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