One of the vital and high protein sources in the food industry is certainly an Egg White protein that should be the essential component of nutritious food. According to some surveys, every year there is nearly 1.6 million tons of egg protein consumption worldwide, and it may increase in the coming years. Also, the market is expected to expand further as well. This rapidly growing demand scenario might raise questions about sustainable alternatives to animal-based proteins and ethics.
There are various steps involved in the egg white powder production chain, which includes the following:
• For the production of eggs, chickens nurturing is a must;
• Generate large amounts of gas emissions for greenhouse;
• Biodiversity losses;
• Utilization of more amount of water, hence results in water scarcity;
• Deforestation cases;
• Along with the above-said loss, rigorous chicken farming may result in zoonotic diseases. These diseases will be a vital cause and essential reservoir for human pathogens.
All the above-said problems and questions are related to the adverse effect on the environment, humans, and the well-being of chickens in the farms they are grown. Also, the above-raised points have concern on entire Agriculture and Food industries globally; hence considering all the problems related to animal-based proteins, researchers and scientists are already looking forward to addressing them in a different way which is having sustainable alternatives to the actual animal-based proteins and production of a more sustainable alternative to egg white protein.
For the past several years, meat grown in the lab has already had very high demand in the local markets globally. Scientists are working to discover the best alternative for egg whites where chickens are not required in that process.
Global demand for the sustainable alternative source to egg white protein
In different countries and on global sphere, efforts are made by looking over the sustainable alternative options for the egg white protein; hence there is a massive demand for egg replacers almost everywhere. Recently, they introduced chickpea isolate in Israel for their protein uses and source. Also, in mayonnaise, they are supplemented with nutrition-packed egg alternatives instead of eggs. Particularly in Germany, The Netherlands and the UK, based on some surveys, they stated a robust potential demand for all the egg replacements. The global egg replacers market has raised nearly a CAGR of 6.2% from 2017 to 2022.
Recently in Singapore, the egg-related revolution has taken place, where Scientists have already successfully reported the invention of plant-based emulsifiers. This invention has a potential advantage over replacing the eggs from chicken in thefood applications. This ingredient has practical use in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products as well. This ingredient is produced from the spent brewing grains, which has the main motto to reduce the food wastage targets. A vegan mayonnaise has been made from an emulsifier, which certainly remains identical in taste as compared to conventional options. Not only taste but also the alternative option is having less amount of fat and fewer amount of calories with high nutrition values.
Alternative methods to Egg White Protein
Hence biotechnology came into the spotlight. Scientists have already discovered biotechnology to provide a substitute for egg white protein, which is more sustainable choice to make.
• Precision fermentation or cellular agriculture, when utilized for the recombinant ingredient production, and which is a method used in biotechnology remains a unique option. In this method, microbial production system is used to generate the required proteins which is an effective alternative for the animal husbandry;
• Other recent advances in the biotechnological methods by some research institutes are that genes are injected into the fungus for ovalbumin blueprints, thereby making and producing the same kind of protein that usually chickens produce. Then the ovalbumin protein gets isolated and extracted from the cells. It then gets properly condensed, and thus proteins are dried to make a final functioning product for usage. Finally, the powdered protein is checked for the same desirable qualities as egg white powder do, including the foaming up.
• Scientists initially identified the genetic code for the ovalbumin and revealed that it makes up nearly 54 % of the total egg white protein. They inserted a responsible gene that carries the same ovalbumin into the fungus, which secretes the same protein.
• Cell-cultured products can also be an alternative option, but it needs more electricity when compared with any of the traditional agricultural products. Thereby, this type of energy source might i8nstead leave an adverse effect on the environment. Still, the number of farming inputs needed for ovalbumin production by microbes like glucose would remain substantially low.
A new idea as a resurgence
In the above-said cases, fungus-produced ovalbumin has significant advantages, decreasing land use by nearly 90 % and approximately 31-55% of greenhouse gases compared with the usual production of chicken-based counterparts. If, in cases, when the alternative protein production is based on low carbon energy, precision fermentation would definitely play a vital role to decrease the burden up to 72%.
Overall, more potential benefits are towards precision fermentation technology to produce a more sustainable alternative to egg white protein. This method has potential advantages in the sustainability of protein production. It can, even more, be raised by the usage of low-carbon energy sources. And according to the researchers, this process can also remain the best option which would be additionally improved by using the renewable energy sources.
Researchers, scientists, and innovators worldwide have developed and are still racing to upgrade to invent even more best versions of the egg white protein besides various effective and suitable animal-free alternatives to chicken eggs. Various research teams are already involved in creating a sustainable version of conventional chicken egg farming, which ultimately creates less land occupancy, reduces deforestation, conserves biodiversity, and fewer greenhouse gasses.
Hence sustainable alternative option is there for the animal proteins, which is an eco-friendlier and sustainable option rather than a conventional choice in the current context. The world is definitely witnessing a new resurgence with such Scientific development for sustainable food as an alternative to egg white protein that is a best option to experience.