Baking & Snack - June 2023 - 44

DAIRY & EGGS
EGGS ARE USUALLY INCLUDED IN
BAKED GOODS BECAUSE OF THEIR
FUNCTIONALITY. WITH WHOLE
DAIRY, COLOR AND FLAVOR ARE
OFTEN THE DRIVER OF THEIR
INCLUSION IN BAKERY.
Serrano-Bahri, director of innovation, American Egg
Board. " Eggs have 20-plus functions, from adhesion to
aeration and from binding to browning. Eggs influence
overall appearance and flavor, as well as texture, batter
quality, moisture/water activity and enhance overall
richness in baked goods. "
Cakes, meringues, cookies, pastry creams and custards
use eggs as main components to thicken, emulsify,
build volume, stabilize, and provide color and flavor.
The protein in eggs supports browning, while the carotenoids
in the yolk contribute a rich, golden color. Yolk
color is influenced by the hen's diet and can vary from
pale yellow to deep orange.
Because of such variability, along with the hassle of
cracking shells, bakers typically rely on egg products.
Egg products come in dry, frozen and liquid bulk formats.
They can be whole eggs or separated into whites
and yolks. There are also performance-enhanced versions.
This allows for maximum functional benefits to
manage costs.
Pasteurized egg whites, for example, are available as
standard, high whip and high gel. The high-whip version
is sometimes called angel whites. It produces a superior
foam that aerates angel food cake and meringue.
High gel is often used in protein bars to keep the product
intact.
" Egg products are pasteurized to ensure food safety, "
Mr. Serrano-Bahri said. " They're easy to use and provide
batch-to-batch consistency with an extended shelf life. "
Egg replacement can pose challenges, however.
" It's hard to replace eggs, " Mr. Reed said. " As you reduce
the eggs in a formula, you lose certain properties, especially
around texture and structure. Gumminess is a common
problem, and it can be hard to combat. Soy flour can
help, but in egg-dependent applications, like cakes, there
are limits to how deep a reduction you can make. "
Eggs set at a particular temperature during baking,
creating a gel that holds the structure of the finished
product.
" As you take away the eggs in a cake or muffin formula,
you start to lose volume, " Mr. Reed explained. " There
are functional systems that can fill some of that void, but
again, the deeper the cuts, the harder it is to maintain
volume and structure. "
It is impossible to replace the 20-plus functions of
whole eggs with any single ingredient. Multiple ingredients
create a more complex ingredient statement, one that
may include ingredients consumers are not familiar with.
" When you think of the key constituents of an egg -
protein, fat and lecithin - Cargill's portfolio includes
Some brands are not only providing protein boosts in baked goods
but also upping their BFY credentials by reducing added sugar.
Wonder Monday
44 Baking & Snack June 2023 / www.bakingbusiness.com
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Baking & Snack - June 2023

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