EU egg prices have risen by an average of 55.8 percent according to the official European Commission figures, between November 2016-2017, and the worst affected areas have seen prices more than double. With no end to this in sight, British starch specialist, Ulrick & Short has developed ovaprox, a combination of functional ingredients dedicated to egg reduction.
Derived from wheat and maize with a clean and clear declaration, the ovaprox egg replacer range is a credible, cost-effective and clean label alternative to egg or egg powder. Ovaprox offers substantial replacement levels in various applications which allows manufacturers to remain competitive while also not having to worry about the pressures of securing high volumes of egg, even at increased prices.
Robert Lambert from Ulrick and Short said: “Although the most recent price fluctuations may settle, egg prices have been historically volatile simply by the nature of the market. Even though checks in the egg sector may be getting better, future fluctuations cannot be ruled out. We’ve seen a significant increase in demand from our customers for egg replacement. This is mainly due to price fluctuations over recent months, and manufacturers have found that ovaprox offers a competitive and price stable alternative. Also, the growth of veganism in recent years is forcing manufacturers to look at egg alternatives and our ovaprox is vegan.”
“The back of pack declaration is either 'wheat flour' or 'maize starch' (depending on which product in the range), and because the product is clean label there are no regulatory issues. Ovaprox can also be used globally, it is already being used in the UK and throughout Europe through our European distributors,” he explains.
The applications ovaprox can go into are far reaching; it has already proven to be successful in a multitude of bakery goods such as muffins, cakes, pancakes, but also in applications like mayonnaise. Moreover, ovaprox is heat stable, making it suitable for all factory processes – and is also entirely clean label, non-GM and has allergen-free options, making sure that back of pack declarations remain clear and transparent.
Director at Ulrick & Short, Andrew Ulrick also commented: “Due to disruption in the supply chain the recent unprecedented price volatility in the butter and egg markets has demonstrated just how unpredictable these markets are and is putting a real strain on manufacturers. It looks as though this is here to stay in at least the medium term.”
Ulrick added: “Both manufacturers and consumers alike are exercising more caution when purchasing products containing eggs. So ovaprox plays a dual role in that it puts the mind of consumers and manufacturers to rest, but also provides a very cost-effective and crucially price-stable alternative.”
