Powder from the whites of chicken eggs is a commonly used ingredient in the food industry, due to the high-quality protein it contains. The annual consumption of egg white protein in 2020 was around 1.45 million tonnes, and the market is expected to expand further in the coming years.
This growing demand raises questions about both sustainability and ethics. Parts of the egg white production chain, such as rearing chickens for egg laying, generate large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to water scarcity, biodiversity loss, and deforestation. Additionally, intensive chicken farming has resulted in outbreaks of zoonotic disease by serving as an important reservoir for human pathogens. This is not to mention the many animal welfare issues associated with poultry farming.
Searching for sustainable alternatives to animal-based protein has been of growing interest within both the food industry and among environmentally savvy consumers. Cellular...