Let's talk about egg replacement

Replacing eggs in food products is currently a hot topic in the food industry! Prices on whole egg and egg whites are continuing to increase as the Avian Influenza virus causes more chicken flocks in the US having to be destroyed.

Eggs are used in a numerous food products for a variety of reasons. They contribute a high degree of emulsification, add flavor and texture, increase binding, improve moisture control and build structure. Great functionality along with the excellent protein make eggs an almost perfect food ingredient (and very difficult to replace).

It’s not easy to replace whole egg with any one single ingredient. The synergies of yolk and whites working together increase the functionality of whole eggs even further. Replacing egg white is somewhat easier, since it’s more about binding and building structure in the product and not about emulsification or flavor.

SPI Group has assembled a group of ingredients that can be used to replace whole eggs, egg yolk and egg whites in some applications. I say in “some applications” because there are many applications that these new egg replaces have never been tested in.

DuPont Nutrition and Health has developed is a new soy protein isolate called Supro 594 that can be used to replace egg whites on a 1:1 basis. It will work in most bakery and meat applications. They have another set of options under the Grindsted line of products:  a group of hydrocolloid blends called CFF systems stabilizers. Depending on the amount of oil in the formula these products can replace whole egg, egg whites and even egg yolks. They were developed to be used in mainly in dressings, sauces and dip type products.

Grande has a couple of whey protein concentrates that they’ve used to replace liquid egg yolks and whole eggs. By using their Bravo 300 whey concentrate you can replace liquid yolk in many applications. With their Ultra 9100 whey protein isolate in combination with the Bravo 300 you can replace whole eggs in a variety of products as well.

JRS also has a new product out called Vitacel LB 1060. This product been developed to replace whole eggs in bakery products. The ingredients used in this blend are Whey protein concentrate, Modified cellulose, Psyllium and sunflower lecithin.

Please contact your SPI representative see how we can help you reformulate the eggs out of your products. We have starting formulas, spec’s and samples available.