Industry update: alternatives to eggs

Eggs are a hidden vulnerability in supply chains

Rising temperatures and persistent avian flu outbreaks are disrupting egg production, as an expanding population and climbing incomes create more strain than ever on egg supply.

Overreliance on conventional eggs puts the food industry at financial, brand, and operational risk.

Alternatives to eggs offer manufacturers a hedge against supply chain shocks

Plant-based and precision fermentation-derived alternatives to eggs can achieve the same functional, sensory, and nutritional properties that conventional eggs deliver—from binding, emulsifying, leavening, and foaming, to glossing, browning, and protein fortification—without requiring any animals vulnerable to diseases like avian flu.  

Existing plant-based eggs harness the power of chickpea flour, soy, mung beans, canola protein, aquafaba, tapioca flour, and even duckweed. Plus, new ingredient solutions are on the horizon. Innovations like precision fermentation enable the production of ingredients that are functionally the same as animal proteins, including egg proteins.

Plant-based and precision fermentation-derived alternatives to eggs can help future-proof operations, offering a reliable, cost-stable, and sustainable choice. Companies who rethink their egg ingredient mix today will be better equipped to weather the disruptions of tomorrow.