This claim is totally false! Lab-grown eggs do not exist in stores or anywhere else.
Start of the Myth
In October 2026, a claim started circulating that consumers could buy federally approved "lab-grown" eggs, that these eggs were sold at Target and Walmart and were being secretly used as ingredients in other products. "That egg isn't real food, it's factory fungus" the alarms stated. These claims are of course totally bogus. They arose from a misunderstanding or intentional distortion of some real developments in food production technology.
The Truth of the Matter
Ovalbumin is a major protein in egg whites. Food scientists developed a way to create this protein via fermentation using specially engineered yeast, a process known as precision fermentation. The fermentation occurs in tanks and the protein is extracted for use in various products. There are no chickens involved and never any whole eggs created, or shells or yolks—just that one egg protein. It was this fermentation-derived egg protein that triggered the totally false myth about "lab-created eggs." It is identical to the protein in actual chicken-produced eggs and is perfectly safe.
What About Labeling and Allergies?
A product that contains egg protein must disclose that fact in the ingredients list. However the source of the protein (fermentation or actual eggs) is not required to be explicitly identified. An indication of “animal-free,” “from yeast,” or “from fermentation” may be present, and a claim of "suitable for vegans" would indicate the absence of real eggs. Because the fermented egg protein does not derive from animals it is certified "vegan" by the Vegan Society.
Products that use fermented egg protein must still carry an "egg allergy" warning because they are not safe for people with such an allergy.
