Using just water and plant materials, Bill Gates-backed Renmatix has developed Nouravant, an egg-replacement ingredient created from the botanical building blocks of plants – cellulose and lignin. It offers food manufacturers and bakers a multi-functional, allergen-free ingredient at a “fraction of the cost of current ingredients.” The “breakthrough” ingredient will debut at the upcoming IFT 2019, the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual conference, on June 2 to 5 in New Orleans – to be covered by FoodIngredientsFirst.

Nouravant is derived from plant materials, and thus is neither supply-constrained nor subject to the price volatility of animal-based ingredients, stresses the company. This enables manufacturers to save 25-50 percent on specific ingredients – for example, replacing eggs in cookies. The product is also non-allergenic, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan and free from additives such as artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. 

It’s also suitable for a range of applications, from baked goods to soups and sauces, dairy categories and meat products. As a clean label emulsifier, the ingredient can add texture to food or boost the moisture content of allergen-free recipes, and acts as a freshness extender in traditional recipes, according to Renmatix

“Unfortunately for food manufacturers, most plant-based ingredients offer sub-optimal performance, do not  serve as multifunctional replacements and command premium prices,” says Renmatix CEO Mike Hamilton. “Using just water and plant materials, we’ve developed a unique ingredient that not only delivers a variety of benefits in food applications, but is also cost-advantaged, allowing manufacturers to save money while also offering longer-lasting, better tasting, healthier products to consumers.”

Nouravant is manufactured using a simple process involving only water, heat and pressure. Renmatix’s patented Plantrose process, which won the 20th anniversary Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge sponsored by the White House and the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2015, uses water in its supercritical state to extract cellulose and lignin, the basic elements found in plants. 

Additionally, these materials were often extracted or modified with chemicals. Nouravant is produced in Renmatix’s food grade-certified facility in Kennesaw, Georgia, which recently received its Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification.

Plant-based egg replacements
The plant-based egg replacement trend has notably expanded in recent years, driven largely by a shift towards clean eating trends based on health, environmental and animal welfare concerns. NPD in this spacehas proliferated across international markets as a result. According to Robert Lambert, Marketing & Communications at Ulrick & Short, the reported number of people identifying as vegan has shot up to more than  3.5 million and increased demand for egg-free products has followed. “Even consumers that are not actively vegan are becoming more health conscious and are adopting vegetarian and vegan buying habits,” he noted in an interview with FoodIngredientsFirst. 

Real eggs, however, contain a multitude of proteins in the yolk and albumen – these different proteins vary considerably in solubility and structure, and exhibit different characteristics when subject to temperature change. It is this which both provides the multi-functionality of egg and also what makes it so difficult to replace. “Hence, the biggest consideration bakers have when developing vegan products is finding the right formulations and ingredients to deliver all of the same functional properties of egg,” Lambert adds.

Designing ingredients as egg replacers requires a good understanding of egg functionalities in baked systems, which include foaming, emulsification, stabilizing and moistening. “The egg-free version should not be compromised with regard to texture and flavor,” comments Dr. Dana Elgeti, Marketing Manager Nutrition at Wacker Biosolutions. 

“In addition, eggs impact the color and flavor of cakes and other baked goods. Furthermore, the egg-free version should not result in (a significant) price increase. For the manufacturer, it is also important that the existing equipment can be used and that there are no major processing changes required,” Dr. Elgeti concludes.

By Benjamin Ferrer