Egg replacer: Kröner-Stärke responds to supply chain pressure

Kröner-Stärke has successfully combined its technological and scientific expertise to develop REGG-EX, which provides the baking industry with a reliable, cost-effective alternative to eggs. Given the recent price hike caused by the 2017 fipronil contamination scare and its subsequent impact on supply chains, REGG-EX is promoted as an ideal replacement solution for food processors and bakery specialists.

The company has focused its innovation on creating a multi-purpose functional egg replacer which is 100 percent clean label and produced entirely naturally from selected quality wheat flours and untreated spring water. The product is particularly excellent for use in fine bakery wares such as pound cake, muffins and bakery mixes where comparable baking properties can be achieved with 30-40 percent reduction in egg content. In milk rolls, the product even enables a complete replacement of the egg.

Kröner-Stärke’s product development technician Maren Wiese commented: “We have already supplied our egg replacer to a well-known frozen bakery company who was able to achieve an excellent end-product with the desired texture. A further example involved supplying REGG-EX as a 100 percent egg replacement for a European producer of milk bread rolls (like Brioche) – again with outstanding results.”

Henrik de Vries, Commercial Manager at Kröner-Stärke told FoodIngredientsFirst: “The main applications are baking products. The best results are achievable in cakes and milk rolls.”

“The egg market is fluctuating all the time, but the current shortage is a special situation at the moment. The demand for vegan items is increasing but the impact on the total market of eggs is limited,” he explains. 

Many bakery recipes can be adapted to reduce or replace eggs in a successful way whilst maintaining the binding and relaxing functionality of eggs. As a dry ingredient, REGG-EX is easy to handle, simple to store and has a naturally long shelf-life. Another advantage of REGG-EX as an egg replacer is that it can help lead to a lower overall cholesterol level in finished goods whilst also making the vegan market accessible to manufacturers.

REGG-EX makes it possible to produce high-quality products with no additives, while responding to consumers’ preferences for simple labeling and understandable terminology. It is simply declared as 'wheat starch' on ingredient labels and is not subject to any GMO declaration.

Kröner-Stärke has developed different varieties of REGG-EX to fulfill the specific needs of the customer. The usage depends on the end product required and the specific target of the customer. An important variation of REGG-EX is that it is also offered in a totally organic form which adheres to the strictest European standards.

The company will be showcasing its organic products at Biofach 2018, which starts in Nuremberg, Germany today (February 14-17).