By Kathy Nelson

This article was adapted from a piece originally appearing in Volume 18, Number 1, of the Dairy Pipeline newsletter produced by the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Whey ingredients can be a cost-effective and functional replacement for eggs in many products—if you follow some guidelines.

Whey protein concentrates (WPC) are useful ingredients for most egg replacement in baked products, due to their high protein content. WPCs are readily available in protein concentrations of 34%, 60% and 80%, some with enhanced functional properties such as high levels of phospholipids that improve emulsions. In addition, WPCs can be customized to meet specific requirements. The 60% and 70% protein concentrates are often called reduced lactose whey (RLW).

You may be surprised to learn that total replacement of egg with whey ingredients can be accomplished quite successfully in many chemically leavened baked products. In cookies, for example, whey ingredients decrease moisture loss during baking, contribute to structure, enhance a crisp texture and act as emulsifiers. In biscuits and scones, whey ingredients help contribute a tender internal texture and hold moisture over time. In quick breads, muffins or pancakes, whey ingredients increase batter viscosity and provide an even, tender crumb structure. Whey ingredients assist in surface browning in all of these baked products, although you may need to adjust times and temperatures to avoid excessive browning.

Cake systems are more complicated. In these baked goods, partial replacement (50% or less) with whey ingredients is more successful than complete replacement of egg. Whey proteins act to enhance sweetness and extend shortening. They are also useful in low-sugar or lower-fat cakes.

In high-ratio cakes (that is, cakes with a high ratio of sugar to flour), egg proteins form a complex network with the flour gluten, stabilizing the cake structure. Sugar increases the temperature needed to set flour gluten, thus requiring the presence of protein that sets at a lower temperature—like egg—to help form structure at the right point in the baking process. For this reason, only partial replacement of egg is recommended in layer cakes. Here, a higher-protein whey concentrate is most effective. Examples of these ingredients are WPC60, a unique WPC with a higher level of phospholipids, or WPC80—especially one with high gelling capacity. Cakes containing whey protein often have a more even and tender crumb structure than an egg-based cake.

Consider the following questions
When replacing eggs with whey powders, consider the following questions to help guide your choices. First, are fresh or dried eggs being replaced? Next, what is the total amount of protein being replaced? Finally, what other effects will whey powders have on the finished product?

One large fresh egg weighs between 52 and 55g and is 75% water. If you use a dry whey powder to replace a whole fresh egg, the water must also be replaced. The functional properties of egg are associated with protein; thus, replacing egg with whey ingredients should be done on an equal protein basis. Only 12% of a large fresh egg is protein, while 46% of dried whole egg is protein. Protein levels in whey powders vary from 13% in sweet whey to more than 90% in whey protein isolate. For each product, choose the whey ingredient that delivers the most functionality for the best price.

Finally, when using a sweet whey or WPC34 (in particular), the largest component of either ingredient is sugar, or lactose. Adding either sweet whey or WPC34 to your formula will enhance browning, increase tenderness and may affect the sweetness level. It is important to consider these things and verify the performance in the product. You may need to adjust levels in a formula to get the results you want.

Typical formulas for replacing 100g of whole egg suggest 15g of WPC80 plus 75g of water. If you use WPC34, you will need 35g plus 75g of water for the same 100g replacement of fresh egg. However, to replace 100g whole dried egg, add 57g of WPC80.

For more information or specific formulas, contact Kathy Nelson at (608) 265-3570.

Below are suggested starting levels for replacement and the expected benefits: