Chicken eggs are a nutritional and functional marvel essential to the global food industry. They’re packed with protein, key to baking, and loaded with functional superpowers: binding, leavening, emulsifying, thickening. Across the world, billions of recipes rely on them.

But eggs are under pressure.

From avian flu outbreaks and rising demand to shifting regulations and fragile supply chains, we’ve seen firsthand how quickly the egg market can crack. In the U.S., a major shortage earlier this year sent prices soaring and exposed just how vulnerable the system really is.

And while supply has somewhat stabilized, the event exposed a deeper vulnerability in the egg supply chain and long-term risks remain. In the U.S. several cage-free mandates and retailer pledges are set to take effect in January 2026, but it’s unclear whether producers can transition in time. Cage-free systems cost more, require more labor, and aren't scaling fast enough making the transition uncertain, and many doubt the industry can meet the deadline.

That leaves food companies scrambling for alternatives and putting growing pressure on food manufacturers, chefs, and R&D teams to maintain quality and consistency while not always having a reliable source of eggs. And unlike other ingredients, replacing eggs is no simple task. They’re not just an ingredient—they’re a system.

Eggs: Small Ingredient, Big Role

Eggs help bring structure, lift, texture, and consistency to thousands of formulations across bakery, sauces, dressings, pasta, snacks, and ready meals. Take bakery as an example: eggs are used in over 90% of standard recipes for cakes, muffins, cookies, and breads due to their multi-functionality. Their proteins coagulate under heat, forming the backbone of texture and structure. They trap air to leaven and lighten. They emulsify fats and liquids to create stable batters. They contribute to browning, moisture retention, and mouthfeel.

With over 80 million metric tons consumed globally each year, any disruption creates ripple effects across entire categories.

So what happens when there aren’t enough eggs?

Enter Giuseppe AI

Finding a replacement isn’t just hard—it’s a technical challenge. Eggs are a deeply embedded functionality engine in food systems, and replicating their performance takes more than a simple swap. That’s where AI comes in.

We asked Giuseppe, our AI platform: What if we could recreate the functionality of an egg—without the egg?

Using modules like Giuseppe Synthesis, NotCo team built and validated new blends of plant-based proteins, starches, and fibers that mimic the behavior of eggs in industrial formulations. Foaming. Binding. Thickening. All without compromise.

And here’s the key: Giuseppe doesn’t just find a substitute.

As shown in recent scientific findings Giuseppe has surfaced, plant-based proteins have slightly different functional properties compared to animal-based proteins—particularly in their folding and unfolding behavior, denaturation temperature, and thermal stability. These differences make them less likely to coagulate under heat, which is a core challenge in baking and cooking applications.

This is precisely where Giuseppe excels: by identifying and optimizing the right blend, process, and dosage of ingredients to reproduce the desired result. It’s not just about matching function, but also achieving consistency at scale.

Faster iteration. Fewer physical trials. Smarter formulations.

The result? Less egg. Same performance.

Why Not?

Whether you're developing plant-based baked goods, navigating allergen-free reformulations, or simply want to safeguard your supply chain from volatility, Giuseppe offers a scalable, intelligent way to solve formulation challenges without losing performance and gives R&D teams a way forward—without getting stuck when supply gets tight.

Food doesn’t stop evolving. Neither should our formulations.

Let’s make it happen—together. Get in touch to learn more.

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