Kerry unveils Biobake EgR egg reduction enzyme

Kerry has introduced Biobake EgR, an enzyme solution that decreases the number of eggs needed in a wide variety of baking applications, enabling European manufacturers to make the switch from caged to free-range or organic eggs without facing increased costs.

Kerry’s new enzyme system, developed for baked goods manufacturers to address the rising raw material costs of eggs, allows for a reduction in the quantity of egg used in recipes. The innovative enzyme system also provides a solution to regulatory concerns, with the European Commission due to propose legislation to phase out the use of cages in animal agriculture by 2027.

According to statistics published in January 2023 by EuroStat, the price of eggs in the European Union was 30% higher on average in January 2023 than in 2022, amid a steady rise in prices since January 2021. Supply-chain disruptions are the main reason for these cost increases, exacerbated by geopolitical instability, global widespread avian flu, drought and increasingly unpredictable/extreme weather conditions, plus general inflationary pressures. These factors have negatively impacted crop yields and applied financial pressure across the supply chain, creating challenges for producers and adding costs for the final consumer.

Finding solutions to reduce carbon impact is an important sustainability consideration for manufacturers, driven increasingly by environmentally and ethically conscious consumers. Biobake EgR is a sustainable solution that not only eases the switch away from caged eggs but also delivers potential CO2 emission savings of up to 14% when a 30%+ egg reduction is achieved.

“The rising interest in egg-alternative solutions has been accelerated by geopolitical instability, egg-price volatility and the upcoming EU proposal on caged farming," stated Jonathan Doyle, Business Development Lead, Enzymes at Kerry. "Kerry’s Biobake EgR is a reliable and consistent egg-reduction performer that can enable the switch from caged to free-range or organic eggs in fine bakery recipes without increasing cost. It works by replacing up to 30% of the egg requirement while matching traditional baking performance measures such as specific volume.

“Consumers are also looking for more ethical label claims in egg-based products, including 'cage-free', and Biobake EgR allows bakers to achieve that goal cost-effectively while mitigating volatile egg prices through the switch to a more consistent, lower-cost, natural alternative.”

Eggs are a crucial ingredient for bakers because of their specific functional properties and unique contribution to finished product sensory attributes, e.g., texture, softness, crumb structure and taste. They also add such vital functions as binding, aeration, emulsification and color. Reducing egg content in recipes is a challenging task because there are very few natural ingredients that deliver the essential functional properties well enough to produce a high-quality finished product with optimal texture, volume and taste.

Egg reduction is a strategy being used by manufacturers to reduce final product costs, improve margins and overall profits. Biobake EgR is a versatile, clean, cost-optimized egg-replacement solution that delivers the functional properties of eggs in many different baking applications – and with no change to final product quality.