Chicken Eggs Substitute Using Vegetable Origin − A Review

The food industry has been focusing on alternatives to replace chicken eggs in vegetable-based culinary formulations to reach the groups of people who do not consume eggs, either due to health concerns (allergies, cholesterol, avian flu) or ethical, social, environmental, and political reasons (for example, veganism). In addition, the rheological properties of the formulations need to maintain the quality or replicate the rheological properties of eggs. The aim of this review is to highlight and compile recent research regarding the development of potential chicken egg substitutes. In brief, a total of 151 publications were retrieved from different bibliographic databases, of which 25 articles were retained for analysis after applying the exclusion criteria: articles published between 2017 and 2022, original articles, and vegetable origin of the egg replacers. The selected papers were classified into six groups, taking into consideration the origins of the studied vegetables: legumes, cereals and seeds, vegetable mixes, hydrocolloids, commercial products, and other vegetable sources. This systematic review provides information regarding the main vegetable sources utilized as chicken egg substitutes, describes the results obtained from the incorporation of these plants in different culinary preparations as well as the results obtained from sensory properties analysis, and shows the efficacy of various types of vegetables for the benefit of human nutrition. Graphical Abstract