Fresh opportunities as egg rules change
The Welfare of Laying Hens Directive comes into force on January 1 2012, but many European countries have warned they will not be ready to meet the new requirements.
Arla Foods Ingredients has urged bakery manufacturers to consider making up the difference by using egg replacement products such as its Nutrilac product, made from fractionated whey protein.
They perform the functions of eggs in many bakery products, are less expensive, have a longer shelf life and are lower in calories, saturated fat and cholesterol.
Worrying signs
“No one knows for sure what impact the directive will have,” said John Gelley, sales director for EU bakery at Arla Foods Ingredients. “But with so many member states admitting that they are unprepared for the changes, there are worrying signs that bakers could face difficulties sourcing sufficient eggs for their needs or, at the very least, significantly higher prices.”
US firm Fibrestar is offering several clean label fibre products, which can act as binding agents and partial egg replacers. Citri-Fi is produced from fresh oranges and can be used in a variety of applications, including baked goods; gluten free products; dairy products and sauces and dressings.
And the firm also announced at the Food Ingredients Europe trade show in Paris last month that it had forged a partnership with Gum Technology to create Hydro-Fi, a range of texturising ingredients. This includes Hydro-Fi CXA-0823, which can be used for partial egg replacement in cakes.
Best before guidelines
Meanwhile, the Food Standards Agency this week revised its guidelines on egg consumption and shelf life. The FSA claimed UK food safety standards were so high that eggs would still be safe to eat even if they were consumed two to three days after their best before date.
Mark Williams, chief executive of the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC), took the development as a vote of confidence in the British Lion egg scheme. But the BEIC has warned consumers to ensure they continue to look for the Lion mark on eggs, as it will flag up legitimate eggs after the January 1 watershed.
Earlier this month Williams said he felt “let down” by agriculture minister Jim Paice’s statement that the government would rely on the food industry’s voluntary consensus not to use battery farmed eggs. British egg producers had invested £400M on phasing out battery cages, while the BEIC claims 13 EU countries, including Spain, Italy and Poland, have ignored the EU ban.
Almost a quarter of eggs used in the UK are used for processing and many are imported. The BEIC fears illegal eggs will be used in the production chain because they are cheaper.
