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How to differentiate a Real Bird Nest vs Fake Bird Nest ?

Very often, the experience of buying bird nest can be full of suspense and can easily turn out to be a scam if we are not too careful.

Even buying from the regular bird nest shop would not fully protect you from the probability of being conned. Yes, they can easily give excuses like, “That’s what my supplier has given me! I have no idea it could be fake!” Of course, you could easily ask for a refund if the shop you bought from is still around. Hence, buying from a reputable and established brand is your best bet.

Here are a few guidelines which I hope can also help you to guard against potential bird nest supplier scams. Again, this is just a guide, and do not 100% protect your bird nest authenticity and quality.

Type And Location Where Bird's Nest Can Be Found

Most bird's nests are produced in Southeast Asia countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam; all of which produce high quality bird's nests. Among this, 80% of the production are from Indonesia with highly adeord quality and exported worldwide.

Identify Bird's Nest by Its Origin:Cave Swiftlet, House Swiftlet, Grass Swiftlet and Hair Swiftlet
Cave Swiftlet: darker or yellowier, more hair and impurities, firmer and crispy feeling when eaten.

House Swiftlet: generally whiter, softer, texture, less hair, smoother and tender feeling when eaten.

Grass Swiftlet and Hair Swiftlet: impurities are more then the nest itself, often used mixing with other things or grinded for other purpose.


Blood Nest Is Very Safe To Be Consumed

On June 3rd 2011, there was a report from Guangdong Inspection and Quarantine Bureau that some of blood nest in the market were detected with nitrite. This report however were not entirely correct, though it has caused a great impact in the bird nest industry.

The test done by Guangdong inspection were not yet clear whether was tested in raw or after proper preparation. Because all kinds of bird nest are never meant to be served in raw. There are several proper methods to prepare this delightful dishes that has been for hundred years among the chinese people such as "soaking in water for quite some time".

In my opinion, if the test was done in a proper preparation, it would be very safe to be consumed.I must admit there are maybe some small portion of dishonest traders create the red colors from the chemical, and it is harmful to the industry; nevertheless we shouldn't generalize that all blood nest are produced by chemical reaction, in fact most of the product in market are NOT.

The actual blood nest in the beginning happens naturally in caves of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. If we look again into the bird nest market in Hongkong and China thesedays, we can find a lot of original blood bird nest from the Thailand caves. These days this natural process also occurs naturally in bird nest houses.

The blood nest is actually formed by the fermentation process of the white nest, which also come from the same species Collocalia fuchipaga. This fermentation occurs in both houses and caves because of the suitable “microclimate” andsubstance exist in the room/cave. We have to be know that the natural fermentation process inevitably would also allow the formation of by-product Nitrite (NO2¯) in the blood nest.

But notice here that it is not purposely added to the white nest to change the color become red. If anyone tries about to put nitrite into white nest, it will certainly not change into red. Therefore, we need to get the fact straight first in order to protect our customers yet not mislead them.

Nitrite is a common substance which is highly soluble in its nature. Nitrite in blood nest can beeasily washed because it not in the fibers; For example we can soak the nest into 1 liter of water for 2 hours and the nitrite contentalready fall so drastically below the consumable level.

This preparation practice is done anyway by the consumer regardless there is nitrite or no nitrite in the nest.In conclusion, based on the facts and some research done and tested by specialised scientists, as long as it is served with proper preparation the blood nest is very SAFE to be consumed.

The Origins of Bird’s Nest

According to history, the Chinese have been consuming bird’s nest since 1,500 years ago. Bird’s nest was often used for trading in exchange for porcelain from the Tang Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty (1368 A.D. to 1644 A.D.), the famous navigator, Admiral Zheng He, was sent by the emperor to develop trade routes to the southern sea.

Amongst the rare and exotic products that he brought back was bird’s nest. Ever since then, a progressive familiarity of the bird’s nest evolved through time and more Chinese had the chance to taste bird’s nest.

Since ancient times, bird’s nest has been known as a precious health food with medical and health enhancing effects. Due to the complex procedures involved in procuring bird’s nest, its rarity has earned the title of “white gold”.

It is also listed as one of the “eight delicacies” with other precious products such as sea cucumber, shark’s fin, fish maw, bear’s paw and deer tendon etc.
Historical documentations on health food and medical herbs have discussed the various health benefits provided by bird’s nest. It is known to be a rejuvenating agent, a demulcent to the lungs and has been used in relieving phlegm and coughs.

The Nutritional Benefits of Bird’s Nest

Bird’s nest is a delicacy in the form of nests constructed by the salivary secretions of swiftlets. It contains all the beneficial essence from the swiftlets’ diet, and therefore is good for overall well-being. Not only is it a pure and natural tonic, it is also a rare and precious delicacy.

In Chinese historical records, the documentations of bird’s nest can be traced back to the Tang and Song Dynasty. Bird’s nest was actually a delicacy meant for the rich in the past. It is rich in protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and amino acid.

Bird’s nest is neutral in properties, reduces heat in the body, fortifies the spleen and digestive system and even promotes longevity. It also promotes the secretion of body fluids, stimulates cell regeneration and promotes blood circulation. Most importantly, its nutrients are easily digested and absorbed which makes it suitable for everyone.

Women: Maintain youthfulness, promote rejuvenation and improve complexion

Pregnant women: Tranquilise the mind, strengthen lungs, reduce nausea and regulate blood to improve health and benefit of the foetus. It also helps in post-natal recovery.

Men: Improve kidney, strengthen lungs and enhance respiratory functions

Children: Improve digestion, promote growth and enhance immune system

Elderly: Strengthen lungs and kidneys, improve spleen, clear phlegm as well as enhance appetite.



Essential Criteria For Selecting A Bird's Nest

Shape and volume: the best bird's nests is in the shape of a boat or spoon. Bird's nest can be triangular in shape if they have been built in the corner of two adjacent walls. However for nutritional value the shape does not matter. Bird's nests that are broader in width rank higher. The real bird's nest should be in a natural shape.

Color and Purity: The best bird's nest should be of natural colour, containing no mud and other impurities like moss. The colour of the white nest is an actual ivory. The yellow nest and the bloodyred nest are coloured straw and red, respectively. The variations and intensity in the colour are due to the difference in the mineral constituents of the food the swallow ate. The bird's nests, regardless of their colour, swell when soaked in clear water. The colouration in the bird's nest will fade and the nest threads look transparent after swelling. However, the water used for soaking should still remain transparent and colourless.

Density and Swelling Capacity: Bird's nests that have finer and denser nest threads appear almost gapless. They are bigger and thicker in volume and should have a higher swelling capacity. The swelling capacity refers to the water holding ability of a bird's nest. The higher the swelling capacity, the greater the bird's nest distends after immersion in water. Bird's nests of different categories show different magnitudes of swelling capacity, i. e. the ratio between the weight of the bird's nest before and after swelling can be different. The swelling capacity should be measured by weight instead of by volume.

Flavor and Dryness: Bird's nest should be selected by smell. A real bird's nest retains a little bit of a fishy smell of the swallow's saliva. When cooked, it releases a light aroma resembling the aroma of an egg white. It is essential to select a dry bird's nest. A bird's nest that is sticky and soft is certainly not dry enough. A wet bird's nest weighs heavier thus the price will be overcharged from the extra weight. A wet bird's nest would not be convenient for storage as it would attract mould easily and has a low swelling capacity.

Price and Creditability: Bird's nests should be purchased in person and selected by "looking", "smelling" and "touching". The price of the bird's nest should be weighed against the flavor, size, thickness of the nest, fineness of the threads, dryness, and a good swelling capacity. It is not possible to buy a good quality bird's nest at fair price if the goods have not been examined and the quality and category evaluated. The most trustful way to purchase a high quality bird's nest is to buy from shops having a good reputation and guaranteed quality.


House Nest And Cave Nest

Bird's Nest Can Be Categorized Into Two Main Type: House Nest And Cave Nest. The House nest refers to nests that are build in wooden-roofed swallow farmhouses that are humid and dark. The interior temperature (28°C - 30°C), brightness and relative humidity (90%) are relatively similar to the conditions found in the bird’s natural cave habitat.

The swiftlet leaves the farmhouse to find food in the wild in the morning and returns in the evening. Since the farmhouse provides the birds a better habitat, house nest contain extremely less impurities and feathers. The are cleaner, have an intact boat or spoon shape, and have a high swelling capacity. The white nests are smooth, while the yellow and bloody-red nests are crunchier because the contain more minerals than white nest.

The cave nest refers to nests constructed in caves and on cliffs. Owing to the harsh natural climate and environment, the nest is firm, hard and deep in color. It is not as well shaped as the house nest and exhibits higher impurities. The cave nest is crunchy with a low swelling capacity that lengthens the time for it to swell when preparing


Remedial Benefits And Usage Of Bird's Nest

Bird's Nest from a Clinical Experimental Point of ViewAccording to a recent medical research reported by Hong Kong Chinese University, the cell division enzymeand hormone of bird's nest can promote reproduction and rebirth of human cells.

The Glycoprotein content directly stimulates cell growth in human’s immune system. As a result, body metabolism is enhanced and functional effects are greatly improved. Effective results of bird's nest are observed when they are consumed by children, elders, feedle and sick people.

Bird's Nest from Traditional and Modern Chinese Medication's Point of View.
(Chinese Medication Dictionary) Bird's Nest is used as restorative and remedial food since the Ching dynasty as recorded in (Major Herbs Guidebook) and (Major Herbs Digest). Previous clinical researches have concluded that bird's nest has a (sweet and calm) character.

Bird's nest contributed medical benefits to lung, stomach and kidney neural system. Several ancient medicine books such as (New Major Herbs), (Southern Mountain Chronicle) and (New Herbs Revised) all recorded plenty of detail of bird's nest remedial benefits.

Bird's Nest from a Nutrition Point of View

The main nutrition contents of bird's nest are carbohydrate (30%) and protein (5%) although its protein content can be compare to that of milk or eggs. Bird’s nest also contains plenty of calcium and phosphorus, as well as some iron and iodine. There are still some other untraced compositions that may have medical benefits; hence we can not judge its value by the main nutrition contents alone.

Bird's Nest from a Biochemical Point of ViewThe book (Evaluate Bird's Nest) written by a biochemist has also proven that protein contained in bird's nest have some bioactive elements which might have nourishing and replenishing effects on humans body.The experts conclude that bird's nest has three main functions:

Enhances the rebirth of cells and tissues.
Improves the immune system functions of our body
Improves the body's tolerance toward the damage done by X-rays or other radioactive reagents.

Bird's nest is an excellent restorative food with a sweet and calm character; it is good for any age or gender

Ladies: Frequent consumption result in fairer skin, helps to stay young and look radiant.

Pregnant Women: Consumption during pregnancy will improve immune functions of the fetus and the mothers will be able to recover easily after giving birth.

Elders: Clears phlegm, strengthen lungs and kidneys, improves spleen as well as enhances appetite.

Children: Enhances immune ability, not inclined to get colds or flu

Men: Improves kidney and strengthens lungs, so not inclined to get weak

Type And Location Where Bird's Nest Can Be Found

Most bird's nests are produced in Southeast Asia countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam; all of which produce high quality bird's nests. Among this, 80% of the production are from Indonesia with highly adeord quality and exported worldwide.

Identify Bird's Nest by Its Origin:Cave Swiftlet, House Swiftlet, Grass Swiftlet and Hair Swiftlet
Cave Swiftlet: darker or yellowier, more hair and impurities, firmer and crispy feeling when eaten

House Swiftlet: generally whiter, softer, texture, less hair, smoother and tender feeling when eaten.

Grass Swiftlet and Hair Swiftlet: impurities are more then the nest itself, often used mixing with other things or grinded for other purpose.

The Legend Of A Heaven Bequeathed Cuisine

For thousands of years, bird's nest has been recognized as a royal food with the ability to nourish the yin, strengthen kidneys, alleviate the yang, advance spleen, moisten lungs, beautify as well as prolong consumer's lifespan.

Up until now, scientific research has continuously proven the fact that bird's nest contains plenty of natural nutrients and mineral such as glycoprotein, calcium, iron, phosphorous, iodine and vitamins, all of which can be absorbed easily by human. Bird's nest is indeed a very valuable natural restorative food

The Categories Of Bird's Nest

Bird's nests are harvested 3 times per year, with each harvesting period generally lasting 3 months. The first period is from January to April, this is immediately followed by the second and third periods. The rainfall is particularly high during the first period this entices and environment highly suitable for the growth of tiny animals and plants giving the swiftlet plenty of food.

The swiftlet grow particularly strong and thereby produce copious amount of saliva. The bird's nest harvested during this period are the most expensive because they are big and thick, highly swollen and contain fewer impurities. The second harvesting period is during the dry season.

There is a decrease in food supply for the swiftlet and this culminates in the bird’s nests being thin and loose and the nest thread are thick. The shape and the swelling capacity of the nests are poorer than those of the first periode. The third period is well within the drought season. During this period of the year the swiftlets are weak.

Their secretion of saliva is low and the feathers detached. The bird’s nests that are constructed are smaller in size, contain greater impurities (e.g. feathers) and have a very poor swelling capacity.

Real Or Fake, Good Or Bad

A natural bird's nest is the real bird's nest. Illegal merchants may coat a layer of egg white or jelly on poor quality imitations. This increases the weight. The fake bird's nest will reflect light and look opaque.

In contrast, light will penetrate through a real bird's nest. Some fraudulent bird's nests are made of "Malaysia rubber" or "pig skin". The former smells and tastes acidic and does not contain nest threads while the latter releases oil after soaking in water.

As for the quality, generally speaking, the price is a fair guideline in reflecting the quality of the bird's nest. The higher the quality and category of a bird's nests, the greater the nutritional value, swelling capacity and beauty and vice versa.

The Four Grades of Bird’s Nest

Upon processing, the bird’s nests can be further categorised into four different grades:

First Yan Zhan (燕盏): The feathers are removed and the natural shape of the nest is maintained. This is the top grade bird’s nest.

Second Yan Tiao(燕条): After removing the feathers, the natural shape of the nest is not retained but the fibres are intact and hence it’s called strips.

Third Yan Bing (燕饼): The nest strips are lined together with nest crumbles and then molded into the natural shape of a bird’s nest.

Fourth Yan Sui (燕碎): Fallen crumbles from the bird’s nest during processing or transporting.

Preparation of Bird’s Nest

Soak bird’s nest in warm water for 15 minutes, then change the water and soak for another 2 to 3 hours till the bird’s nest expands and softens. Double-boil the bird’s nest with the water over a medium fire for about 2 to 3 hours. For those with sweet tooth, add rock sugar and the bird’s nest is ready to serve.

For those who prefer savoury, chicken or ham broth can be added but note that salt should only be added just before consumption as it will cause the bird's nest to be disintergrated during boiling.

The Ideal Time to Consume Bird’s Nests

It is best to consume bird’s nest in the morning and at night before consuming other food. This will ensure that the nutrients are easily absorbed into the body. If on a diet, it is recommended that the bird’s nest is consumed in the morning before consuming other food.
Adding milk to the bird’s nest for consumption at night before sleep also aids in the absorption of the nutrients. In addition, it can promote better sleep and improve complexion. The ideal way to consume bird’s nest is to take in small quantities at frequent, regular periods.

How to Determine the Quality of Bird’s Nest

There are many types of bird’s nests in the market with varying quality. To ensure that the bird’s nest purchased is genuine and of good quality, the following steps can be taken.

Firstly, look at the texture, purity and appearance of the bird’s nest. A top quality bird’s nest should come in the shape of a half-bowl. It should be ivory in colour and contain no impurities. The fibers should be unevenly arranged and the bird’s nest should retain a mild swiftlet smell.

After double-boiling, the bird’s nest should turn semi-transparent while its original elasticity and natural colour should be retained. There should also be a light natural egg white aroma. Low quality bird’s nest, on the other hand, is duller in colour, contains more impurities and carries a weaker aroma.

Home

BirdNestIndonesia.com sells only 100% authentic and unprocessed bird nests. There is absolutely no artificial bleaching or additives included in the bird nest production.

The bird nests are harvested and is directly sent to the packing site. At the packing site, the bird nests are then selected and graded according to their quality and shape, before being packed up for distribution.

Hygienic working environment and proper quality control is emphasized in the production of these bird nest to ensure you enjoy nothing else but the best quality.

We provide shipments of the bird nest to all countries in the world.

Shipment fees are borne by the buyer unless otherwise specified.

Payments and transaction is in SGD only.

BirdNestindonesia.com are cleaned and packed bird nest. The bird nest products has not been contaminated with any bleaching agents nor chemicals. All our bird nests are hand-picked for feathers and foreign artifacts so that you enjoy the highest quality bird nest produce.

We want you to enjoy the bird nest without any worries and to come back to us again in the future. We believe that if you are satisfied with our bird nest products, you will come back and buy from me again.

Let’s get back to business now, here’s the current price for my products (all prices quoted in SGD) Per Kilogram :

Our BestNestIndoesia.Com Promotion Price Vs Recommended Market Price


1) Grade A (Super 5A)= $3,450 Vs Grade A (Super 5A)= $5,800














2) Grade B (Triangle)= $3,050 Vs 2) Grade B (Triangle)= $5,400














3) Grade C = Coming soon !

For purchase at lesser quantity, please email us or contact us for best pricing.

Prices may fluctuate according to supply and demand.

Quantity Weight Starting from:

15 gram
25 gram
50 gram
75 gram
100 gram
200 gram
300 gram
500 gram
1000 gram



How to Prepare




Discover the Secret of Making Good Bird Nest Soup !

Comprehensive Guide in Making A Good Bird Nest Soup - The Receipe


The bird nest soup is a favorite delicacy during the Chinese Dynasty period. The Royal family consume them as they help in the preservation of youth which is why it’s one of the most wanted desert amongst the ladies.

Besides that, bird nest is also believe to help with the digestive system, raising libido, alleviating asthma, increasing concentration, and an overall benefit to the immune system.

Here is how you can prepare raw bird nest:

Bird Nest Soup: The Rock Sugar Recipe

Here’s a recipe guide from AsiaOnlineRecipes.com on how to prepare raw bird nest with crushed rock sugar:

Ingredients :

2 ounces of Bird’s nest
6 tablespoons of Crushed rock sugar
2 cups of Water

Method :

1. Prepare the bird’s nest by soaking it in cold water for several hours or overnight.
2. Rinse well.
3. Go over the nests and pick out any loose feathers or dirt.
4. Bring a pot of water to boil and simmer the bird’s nests for about 5 minutes.
5. Again rinse well and squeeze dry.
6. Place the bird’s nest in the pot and add 2 cups of water.
7. Bring to a boil and simmer until the bird’s nest are quite soft.
8. Add the rock sugar, stirring to dissolve.
9. Serve the soup hot.

Note :

This nest of a tiny bird that lives in cliffs mostly off the coast of southern China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Borneo is considered a major tonic food. It is light gray regurgitated Gelidium seaweed mixed with swallow saliva and needs extensive attention to pick out extraneous items before washing, soaking, cooking, and serving. This hand labor and the fact that it is difficult and dangerous to gather nests makes them very expensive. Bird’s Nest is said to nourish kidneys, lungs, heart and stomach, and to regulate circulation. As they are made with saliva, one of what the Chinese consider to be three precious substances. Bird’s nest, high in protein and with reasonable amounts of calcium, iron, and riboflavin, is deficient in three essential amino acids: lysine, methionine and tryptophan.


Bird Nest Soup: Goji and Ginseng Soup

Ingredients:
1) Water approximately 500ml
2) Bird Nest approximately 50gram
3) Red Dates, 6-7 pieces
4) Goji berries, 15gram
5) Ginseng, 2 slices
6) Cane sugar, 40 gram

Set the slow cooker to 1 hour.

And here we have, hot steaming bird nest soup ready to serve.

Bird Nest Soup: Mushroom

This is one of the classic Cantonese cuisines.

Approximately 6 servings.

Ingredients:
• 8 oz. birds’ nests
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger root, chopped
• 4 oz. cooked chicken, cubed
• 4 oz. button mushrooms, quartered
• 8 oz. canned quail eggs, drained
• 7 ½ cups chicken stock

Directions:
1. Soak the birds’ nest in water for 5 minutes, then drain.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan.
3. Add the ginger and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Stir in the chicken, mushrooms, eggs and stock and bring to boil.
5. Reduce the heat to low and add birds’ nests/ Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Serve at once in bowls.