Dive Brief:
- Corbion Caravan has launched the Function Plus 150W system, a formulation of specialized whey proteins, gums, enzymes, and emulsifiers, that can replace 50% to 100% of egg whites in sweet baked foods, such as cakes and chemically leavened batters.
- Function Plus 150 can replace liquid and powdered egg.
- Corbion said the product could lower manufacturers' production costs as they face high prices for eggs, which are still lingering from egg shortages caused by the devastating effects of the bird flu earlier this year.
Dive Insight:
Though news of new bird flu contamination has been nearly non-existent since the weather warmed over the summer, egg shortages abound, and egg prices remain high. The USDA recently reported that retail prices for a dozen large eggs are nearly twice what they were in mid-May. Due to the continued imbalance of supply and demand, USDA and industry experts believe these high prices will continue for the duration of the year.
Function Plus 150 is "a quick, useful fix for an immediate market need," Kathy Sargent, Corbion's manager of sweet goods told Food Business News.
Corbion's new product stands alongside other egg replacements, such as from Hampton Creek, which recently began defending itself with the FDA over mayonnaise labeling issues.