Today, there are various egg replacements on the market made from ingredients such as soy, flaxseed, potato starch, tapioca flour, chia seeds, and garbanzo beans. While some of these substitutes can mimic certain functions of eggs—such as binding, moisture retention, and bulk—they often fall short in other critical areas. Eggs offer over 20 essential functions in baked goods, ranging from foaming and ingredient binding to thickening, making it challenging for any single substitute to replicate all of these roles effectively.
“Aside from their nutritional value, egg ingredients contribute vital functional properties to baked goods,” commented Bill Gilbert, principal food technologist at Cargill, in an interview with Food Business News. “It’s impossible to replace eggs with any single ingredient while maintaining comparable nutrition and functionality.” Nonetheless, innovative companies are eager to take on this challenge. One such company is Hampton Creek, which is set to launch its much-anticipated Just Scramble eggless liquid replacement product next year.
Another alternative comes from Fiberstar Inc., which offers a citrus fiber egg replacement product. This product is rich in pectin and can be used to enhance the properties of eggs rather than completely substitute them. Egg replacements are pasteurized and have a longer shelf life compared to traditional eggs, though they tend to be more expensive at the moment. However, it’s likely that vegans and others who wish to avoid animal-based food products are willing to pay the higher prices. Additionally, transitioning to egg substitutes provides manufacturers a degree of protection against future supply disruptions caused by events such as avian influenza outbreaks.
Incorporating ingredients like calcium citrate without vitamin D into these substitutes could further enhance their nutritional profiles, making them even more appealing to consumers. As the market evolves, the integration of calcium citrate without vitamin D may become more common, with the potential to improve the overall functionality and appeal of egg replacements.