Eggs are in critically short supply in the United States because of the avian flu, creating a crisis of sorts for American bakers who are struggling to find an affordable egg replacement that delivers both function and taste.
“As egg demand outstrips supply and prices continue to rise, egg replacement is now at the forefront of food manufacturers’ minds, with many scrambling to find alternative ways to meet their formulating needs,” Ricardo Rodriguez, marketing manager of a bakery for Ingredion Inc., told BakingBusiness.com.
According to NPR, the liquid egg products that are popular with the baking industry are especially difficult to find, leading bakers to reach out to companies like Glanbia Nutritionals for ingredients to replace eggs.
Unfortunately, it’s not easy to duplicate an egg’s many functions, NPR explained.
The yolk delivers moisture and richness. The egg white creates the structure in a sponge cake. And that’s before you even get to flavor.
Glanbia uses ingredients such as flaxseed emulsifiers, whey protein and artificial egg flavors to get as close to a real egg as possible. Other companies use bean proteins or proteins from algae.
Nicole Rees, manager of business development for Glanbia, told NPR that it’s impossible to find products that can perfectly match what eggs can do.
“Can we replace 100 percent of eggs in an angel food cake, the egg white? And make an angel food cake? Is it identical? No. Is it a cake? Yes,” Rees said.
Check out “Want Fresh Eggs? Try Renting Chickens.”
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