USA- Plantible Foods, a biotech company based in San Diego, USA, has formulated a functional ingredient called Rubi Whisk that may replace eggs in the commercial production of bread, donuts, cookies, cakes, pastries, and pasta.
According to the company, to formulate the ingredient, they extract RuBisCO protein from a Lemna plant, also known as duckweed.
The biotech company then develops the Rubi protein RuBisCO into a powder, which is neutral in taste, odor, and color, and whose properties may mimic and replace animal proteins.
“For too long, consumers have had to make trade-offs when choosing plant-based or gluten-free foods, compromising on taste and texture and often settling for less delicious and nutritious products,” said Tony Martens Fekini, co-founder and chief executive officer of Plantible Foods.
There has been lacking solutions that are geared toward people who do not want to take animal products in their food.
“This is especially true in the baking ingredients and CPG categories, where baked goods that are free from eggs and gluten are often dry, crumbly, and overall less enjoyable to eat,” Tony added.
According to Plantible Foods, Rubi Whisk may provide several benefits for baking applications such as offering fat-binding and oil-holding capacity, high-foaming capacity and stability, high solubility, and emulsification.
According to Brandessence Market Research, the Global Egg Substitute Market was valued at USD 1.92 Billion in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 3.07 Billion by 2028 with a CAGR of 6.90% over the forecast period.
The research holds that the rising trends of veganism, the wide array of health benefits offered by egg substitutes, and the escalating demand for eggless bakery items are primarily driving the growth of this market sphere.
Other researchers also hold that outbreaks of birds associated diseases such as bird flu, and avian influenza are likely to continue driving the market growth.
Therefore, Plantible Foods is tapping into a market that is ready to thrive pretty well in the next several years.
Other companies are also seeking to tap into this growing market in response to consumer trends.
In June, Kerry and Ardent Mills launched egg substitutes as well, helping bakers optimize their baking operations costs.
While this market is still growing and evolving, challenges abide. For example, preference for the original egg taste and incidences of contamination will likely restrain growth, but it also offers opportunities for ingredients producers to improve their offerings to satisfy consumers.
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