Vegan egg substitute as an alternative to chicken eggs

2023-05-07 08:21:17

In search of the right taste: There are high hopes for vegan egg substitutes, like here in the quinoa bowl.
Image: Perfeggt

It’s a business that promises big profits: Many researchers are working on developing a vegan egg substitute. This is particularly important to counteract the poor living conditions of laying hens.

Dhe simplest dish in the world has a complicated consistency: a scrambled egg almost melts in some places, while others are firmer or even burnt. Can the vegan version that is served in the “Sets” café in Charlottenburg keep up? The look of the oily glossy yellow mass, which is seasoned with truffles and garnished with chives, gives no indication that this egg is made of pea protein. The first bite is more homogeneous and creamy than you would expect from a scrambled egg. But taste is more important than consistency when it comes to plant-based substitutes.

Johanna Kuroczik

Editor in the “Science” department of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper.

Tanja Bogumil knows that too. She founded the foodtech company Perfeggt, which produces this vegan egg. It is still only available for the catering industry, but Perfeggt will soon also be available in supermarkets. Plant-based products that replace meat, milk or cheese are booming. But while vegan sausages and oat milk are part of everyday life, egg substitutes are new territory. Previous products are mostly protein powder for mixing or yellowish tofu. Start-ups and food companies such as the American company Just Eggs or the giant Nestlé are working on a product that can completely replace raw eggs, provides many nutrients and also tastes good with Garden Gourmet vEGGie. Puns on “Egg” seem mandatory when choosing a name.