Egg Alternatives, 2023 State of the Industry
Chicken eggs remain a popular food and an inexpensive source of several nutrients needed in the human diet. Structurally, a typical egg is 30% yolk and 60% egg white, each containing a distinct combination of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids.
In addition to their dietary importance, eggs play an essential role in the food industry as a valuable additive in baking, pastries, and some confections. The molecular components that make up chicken eggs have a range of unique characteristics that, when mixed with other food ingredients, can provide thickening, binding, emulsification, and foam stability with minimal change to flavor.
Nevertheless, the desire to reduce the dependence on animal products and improve food security in light of avian flu pandemics has increased the interest in egg alternatives that match both the functional and nutritional qualities of chicken eggs. Indeed, the demand for plant-based and other egg alternatives is rising, with the market projected to reach $1.5B by the end of 2026.
Creating an alternative egg requires understanding the structural and molecular complexity of a standard chicken egg.
Egg Composition. Percentages retrieved from Next-Generation Plant-based Foods: Design, Production, and Properties.
Chicken eggs are structurally more complex than they may appear, and developing a substitute that accurately replicates their nutritional and functional properties requires a comprehensive understanding of their composition. Firstly, chicken eggs are naturally “prepackaged”; the egg itself is surrounded by a double membrane layered under a sturdy, external calcium carbonate shell. This membrane encircles the albumen, or egg white, which is composed of over 40 proteins, with 14 proteins accounting for 90-95% of the total protein amount. Although consisting mainly of water, egg whites contain the proteins that contribute to the distinct cooking and functional properties of eggs. These proteins include ovalbumin and lysozyme, the latter of which is commonly used as a food preservative and to degrade gram-positive bacteria. Within the albumen is the egg yolk, a recognizably colored component rich with a nutrient composition of vitamins, minerals, and lipids, including the lecithin emulsifier. The yolk is enclosed by a membrane and contains the carotenoids that give it the vibrant, rich hue that is frequently associated with eggs.
Accordingly, egg alternatives aim to mimic the functional properties of eggs, including: 1) binding, 2) clarification, 3) coagulation, 4) emulsification, and 5) gelation. Normally, two immiscible liquids, like oil and water, cannot easily form a homogenous mixture and instead form separate and distinct phases. However, these phases can be mixed through the addition of an emulsifier; the resulting mixture is called an emulsion. Egg yolks contain the natural emulsifier lecithin, which is why egg yolks are an essential component in creating aioli or mayonnaise – both emulsions of an oil and water-based component. Gelation, which is the process of denaturing egg proteins in water with heat, enables the formation of an edible gel. This gel forms a structured arrangement of protein and water that provides the desired consistency in foods such as custards and quiches. Similarly, the coagulation process involves the denaturation of proteins, enabling eggs to transition from a liquid state to a solid state, like in scrambled eggs or omelets. Finally, eggs are employed to stabilize foams, which is important in a wide range of baked goods and pastries.
Because animal-derived eggs are capable of many culinary uses, plant-based eggs must often choose a subset of properties they wish to recreate.
Plant-based eggs combine ingredients aiming to replicate the taste, functional properties, and nutritional profile of animal-derived eggs. As such, plant-based eggs comprise a mixture of proteins, fats, colorings, preservatives, emulsifiers, and binding agents.
Plant-based Egg Protein Sources
The protein components of plant-based eggs often come from legumes (as shown above) after a series of manufacturing processes that involve dehulling, grinding, soaking, and solubilizing the extracted proteins from the bulk biomaterial. Critically, the primary protein in the alternative egg product should denature within a similar temperature range as eggs (63-93° C), and exhibit denaturing qualities such as thickening or gelation upon heating. A certain legume preparation from canned chickpeas, known as aquafaba, can replicate some of these qualities, and provide effective binding, foam stabilization, and emulsification as well.
For example, Eat Just, Inc., the manufacturer of a popular scrambled egg substitute, relies on mung bean protein isolate as its main protein source, providing the gelation and thickening needed for the product’s intended use as an omelet and scrambled egg replacement. Natural colorings and flavorings are also added to replicate the rich yellow hue and egg flavor, typically through the use of spices (e.g., paprika, turmeric). However, just as JUST produces a plant-based egg specifically for scrambled eggs or omelets, many of the other egg alternatives target only a subset of the various functions of eggs.
Therefore, a fully plant-based alternative that can perform all of the functions of eggs in any recipe has yet to be developed. Recently, there have been notable advancements in developing products that more closely mimic the taste and look of popular egg dishes. In February 2023, the startup Yo! Egg debuted a poached egg and plans to debut a fried egg (specifically, sunny-side up) egg alternative, both made primarily of water, oil, soy, and chickpea. The Yo! Egg product emulates the appearance of a sunny-side-up egg, a dish where the egg white and yolk are cooked without mixing, resulting in a crispy edge and a creamy center. Additionally, Crafty Counter has a commercially available plant-based hard-boiled egg. Their product is innovative in its use of culinary nuts as its main ingredient. These companies have replicated the appearance of whole-cooked eggs, but as an industry, plant-based egg companies are still striving to achieve the full range of textures and tastes found in animal-derived eggs, whether raw or cooked.
Precision fermentation can recreate specific animal-egg proteins for specific culinary purposes.
Precision Fermentation Companies Producing Egg Proteins
Another approach to producing alternative eggs is through the use of precision fermentation, which involves using microorganisms to produce native, animal-derived egg proteins (like ovalbumin, the target of Onego Bio), without the need for actual chickens. In the last decade, advancements in microorganism engineering and decreased costs have facilitated the use of precision fermentation to produce various food components such as enzymes, proteins, and fats. This includes an enhanced ability to engineer and select strains for production, and increased efficiency in recovering the intended product through improved downstream processing methods.
The EVERY Protein (a product formerly known as EVERY ClearEgg), launched by The EVERY Company (formerly Clara Foods) in late 2021, introduced the market to animal-free egg proteins. EVERY Protein is an egg white glycoprotein that the company produces from yeast and markets as being highly soluble in water and having a very neutral taste. The former property allows for a transparent appearance (like egg white), and the latter makes it highly versatile as an ingredient that does not impart any off-taste to a final product. While technically an egg white protein, the EVERY Protein was not developed for use as a direct egg alternative; it is instead intended to be used as a protein additive for food products — beverages, in particular. In October 2022, for example, The EVERY Company partnered with hard juice producer Pulp Culture, to launch Build, an alcoholic juice supplemented with EVERY protein.
In March 2022, however, The EVERY Company launched their second animal-free egg protein — EVERY EggWhite, which, unlike EVERY Protein, is intended for use as an egg white replacement in both cooking and baking. To debut this protein, they launched limited edition macarons through a partnership with Chantal Guillon. This animal-free egg-like product exhibits an increased sensory profile similar to eggs, as it “whips and gels” just like animal-derived eggs.
Scientific advancements in strain engineering have led to improved yields of recombinant proteins, a wider range of protein expression, and greater ease of implementation in the production process. These developments are expected to accelerate the adoption of this technique for the production of food products.
Alternative egg companies continue to strive for price parity and functional parity compared to animal-derived eggs.
Plant-based Egg Prices
Plant-based alternatives often face unique technological and market challenges, particularly when it comes to non-high-value foods, as achieving price parity with traditional food products can be difficult. However, in early 2023, plant-based egg per-unit price was lower for alternatives than chicken eggs due to various factors affecting egg production. This highlights how the availability of plant-based alternatives can serve as a safeguard against problems associated with traditional egg production, such as animal welfare concerns, disease outbreaks, and supply chain disruptions. With the introduction of new alternative egg products in the market, the adoption of these products as substitutes for eggs is expected to increase. Continued innovation and development may lead to egg alternatives that are as versatile as animal-derived eggs.
Written by Yocelyn Recinos, Helikon Associate
Edited by Jeremiah Johnston
Charts by Diana Garibay, Helikon Associate
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