The demand for egg-free baked goods is on the rise as more people turn to plant-based diets, control costs and avoid allergens. According to Laurie Scanlin, a principal scientist at Ardent Mills, the popularity of vegan and plant-based dietary habits is expected to grow by more than 70% in recent years.
Jennifer Stephens, vice president of marketing at Fiberstar Inc., notes that removing eggs from baked goods can help reduce cholesterol and saturated fat content when healthier ingredients are used to replace them. For instance, using Citri-Fi citrus fiber as an egg replacement not only reduces cholesterol and saturated fat but also adds dietary fiber to the product.
Some bakers are also concerned about extending the shelf life of their products that contain egg-related ingredients. Yanling Yin, director of bakery applications at Corbion, points out that concerns about animal welfare and sustainability are driving some bakers to create vegan or plant-based product applications.
Dana Duwe, a senior application technologist at AB Mauri North America, highlights the rising cost of eggs as a concern for bakers in recent years. Egg prices tend to rise whenever there is an outbreak of bird flu in the region, which customers are looking for stability in pricing and may also have goals related to energy consumption or using cage-free eggs.
The push for cage-free eggs in many states may further impact egg prices and have implications for bakers who rely on eggs for their products. This trend is likely to have implications for the baking industry as it continues to grow in popularity.
The full feature on Egg Replacement can be found in the March 2024 issue of Baking & Snack.
