Pisane Pea Protein Projected to Gain Strength as Egg Powder Replacement

FAIRFIELD, NJ, May 26, 2015 -- According to a recent New York Times report (May 21, 2015) "With avian flu devastating a significant portion of the nation's egg-laying hens, major food companies and restaurant chains are bracing for shortages and scouting the country to find alternative supply sources."

The Times notes that the Department of Agriculture reports that approximately 87% of birds who have contracted bird flu are laying hens and "many of the eggs they lay are turned into ingredients used by food businesses in things like egg patties and baked goods."

Gil Bakal, A&B Ingredients' Managing Director, points out that while food companies may be able to meet their short-term needs, as the situation continues to worsen, and egg prices continue to rise, many food manufacturers will need to find viable alternatives."

He points to the growing number of companies within the food industry who are looking into products, such as pea protein, as a viable replacement for egg powder, and egg whites.

"What makes pea proteins so attractive is that it's a sustainable protein source that allows for the formulation of high-quality protein enriched food, but also have high functionality allowing them to partially or fully replace many other proteins," he says.

He notes that A&B Ingredients is seeing continued growth in demand for its Pisane® pea protein isolates as a direct result of the increases in consumer awareness of protein as well as continued supply pressures on animal-based protein sources. "Pisane has already proven to be an effective replacement for not only eggs and egg powder but soy and dairy in a wide range of products from pastas, crackers, salad dressing, cereal, smoothies, and baked goods." An added benefit is the ever-growing move toward all-natural, clean-label ingredients. "Pea protein isolates have proven to be one of the most tolerated and accepted protein sources without high allergy issues," says Bakal.

This non-dairy protein is a sustainable and effective alternative whose benefits include:

• High protein content (88 -- 90%)
• High digestibility of 98%
• Low in anti-nutritional factors
• Gluten-free
• High tolerance
• Free from common allergens
• No cholesterol, lactose, or soya
• Naturally-sourced
• GMO-free