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Asian Swallow Bird Nests

18-23 minutes

Saturday, 11 August, 2018 11:34:43 PM

Swiftlets and Edible Birds Nests

Asian Swallow Bird Nests
"swallow's nest". yàn wō (燕窝)

Swallow bird nests are accepted by Asia to have medical and

health enhancing effect, a rejuvenating agent that slows down the
aging process.
Swallow nests also act as demulcent to the lungs and are used in
relieving phlegm and coughs.

It is an excellent supplement for all ages:

- Elderly and Children - stimulate appettite and aids digestion
- Pregnant woman - give birth to a beauttiful and smooth
complexion baby
- Patient - provide protein and nutrientt to recover quickly from
illness
- Women - make their facial skin smooth and lively

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1-Golden bird's nest 2-Golden bird's nest 3-Indonesia bird's nest

4-Keningau bird's nest 5-Kunak bird's nest
6-Manas bird's nest 7-Philippines bird's nest 8- Sandakan Black
bird's nest 9- Sipadan bird's nest 10-White bird's nest
Blood Nest, Orange Nest and White Nest, etc.

(Swiftlets Nests)
- ⽃湖燕窝Traditional Chinese Health Food -

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For centuries in China these nests have been considered

nourishing and tasty as well as a booster of health for the sick and
aging; they are even believed to be an aphrodisiac.

By 2020. Malaysia is expected to have 63,000 swiftlet premises

producing 870 metric tones of bird's nest worth RM3.5 billion.

In 2010 alone, the production of bird's nest was around 290 metric
tones valued at RM1.2 billion.

Malaysian government has identified swiftlet farming as a high

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potential industry, and as such, accorded it priority in the Economic

Transformation Programme (ETP)

In Sabah, the production of Edible Bird Nest (EBN) had long been
practiced, particularly, traditional bird's nest of high quality from
caves, including Gua Guomantong and Gua Madai.

The export value of bird's nest contributed by Sabah was in the

range of about RM13 million to RM17 million annually, with the
main markets being Hong Kong and China.

He said apart from caves, the rearing of swiftlets was on the rise.
According to the Sabah Wildlife Department, in just 2009, there
were 500 swiftlet premises in Sabah.

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2 types of bird's nests for export from Malaysia

1 2
Unprocessed Processed
(Raw Bird's Nests) (Clean Bird's Nests)

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Swiftlet farms are built in large cavernous buildings, that offer plenty
of surfaces for the swiftlets to build their nests

The nests of the swiftlet are formed from saliva, and are highly
prized as the main ingredient in bird's nest soup

Bird’s Nest Protocol

The new Bird’s Nest Protocol ensure that Malaysia’s bird’s nest
fulfils the standards required and is of high quality. In this new
protocol, exporting bird’s nest require certifications from the Health

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Ministry and a certificate of origin from the Veterinary Services

Department.

The certificate of origin is important because it traces the origins of

the bird’s nest through radio frequency to ensure that the edible
bird’s nest is authentic and safe for consumption.
There are about 50,000 bird’s nest traders in Malaysia but the
ministry has only managed to register about 2,000 in the last six
months.
Edible bird’s nest has been used in Chinese cooking for centuries.
But China had banned bird’s nest from Malaysia after it was found
to have excessive nitrite in July 2011

Bird’s Nest Museum : http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/07

/13/sandakan-to-have-birds-nest-museum/

July 13, 2012, Friday :

Sabah Bird’s Nest Association (SABA) in collaboration with AMG
Enterprise is undertaking a plan for a bird’s nest museum in
Sandakan Town. The museum could educate the public and
tourists on the bird’s nest industry which is currently growing
rapidly.
The museum’s establishment could encourage the public to delve
into the bird’s nest business and subsequently spur economic
growth. The museum introduces the bird’s nest industry’s potential
for the ecosystem while at the same time reap lucrative rewards for
future businessmen. The bird’s nest industry would boost economic
growth, especially in the rural areas that are involved.
When completed, the museum will be a tourist attraction in
Sandakan. Visitors will be fascinated by the internal design of the

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museum that will resemble a bird’s nest.

Certificate of authenticity
Malaysian government is now investing in Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) to allows a product to be easily tracked from
the source to the consumer.

The bird's nests can be sealed in a box with an RFID tag that
contains a microchip embedded with details about the harvest. A
handheld scanner emits a radio frequency to unlock that
information. Sound similar to barcodes, but RFID tags are harder to
duplicate.

Swiftlets Farming - Birds' Nest Farming using Nesting Houses

Birdnest Center | Breeding Swiftlet in The Farming House

is a modern and commercialized way of producing bird’s nest
The traditional way has been the harvesting from caves.
Swiflet farming is about attracting swiflets to inhabit in a man-built
building, which is referred to as swiflet house.
The swiflets would then start breeding in the swiflet house where,
swiflet pairs will build bird’s nests for this purpose.
Bird’s nest is where swiflets lay their eggs and hatch them. When
the young swiflets reaches maturity to fly and live independently,
they would leave their nests, leaving the nests ready to be
harvested by the owner of the swiflet house.
Nest harvesters in Indonesia have developed the practice of
"farming" which entails buying up houses with colonies of Mossy-
nest Swiftlets which are cross-fostered: the eggs of White-nest
Swiftlets are placed in these nest colonies.
Once mature the White-nest Swiftlets return to the house and

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establish a colony.
With the escalation in demand these sources have been
supplanted since the late 1990s by purpose-built nesting houses,
usually reinforced concrete structures following the design of the
SE Asian shop-house ("ruko").
These nesting houses are normally found in urban areas near the
sea, since the birds have a propensity to flock in such places.
This has become an extraordinary industry, mainly based on a
series of towns in the Indonesian Province of North Sumatra, which
have been completely transformed by the activity.

While the Edible-nest and Black-nest Swiftlet are not yet on the
endangered species lists of either CITES or the IUCN, there are
measures which attempt to protect them.
Supplier countries have domestic legislation to regulate
importing/exporting, hunting, poaching, and selling of Swiftlet nests.
For example, since 1934 there has been an ordinance in Sarawak,
Malaysia which permits the nests to be harvested only every 75
days.
Currently in Sabah only 2 harvests per year of White-nest Swiftlets
are allowed.
Despite policies to protect the bird their numbers continue to
decline, probably a result of illegal trade which counts for a
substantial percentage of harvested nests.
The World Wide Fund for nature is currently preparing a proposal
for the 1994 meeting of the Convention on International Trade on
Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) which will be held
in the United States.
The proposal will recommend that the Swiftlet species be placed on
CITES' Appendix II (threatened species).

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The rising price and rising demand for these nests have resulted in
a decline in the swiftlet population.
Poachers and the cutting down of forests where Swiftlets feed
contribute to the decline.
Indonesia is the biggest supplier of swiftlet nests with
Thailand ranking second, followed by
Vietnam,
Singapore,
Burma,
Malaysia,
southern India and
Sri Lanka.

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The Birds of Madai Caves

Market for these nests is booming in Asia. Prices have doubled in
recent years. China was traditionally the biggest importer of birds'
nests.
Today Hong Kong is the biggest official consumer of birds' nests,
importing about 100 tons (grossing about $25 million) annually. In
Hong Kong 55 pounds of top quality white nests (the most prized)
can be worth $50,000.
The value of the nests of these birds has become so great that
harvesters no longer wait until eggs or chicks depart the nest. Both
are simply discarded and the nest taken. (photo top).
The nests are identified as "Black Nests" - the 2nd grade of Swiftlet
nest. Before export the nest must be cleaned to remove feathers.
Black Nests are less expensive than White Nests which are less to

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find.

This practice has decimated many younger bird populations in

some areas. Each harvest, hundreds of chicks being too weak to fly
are left to dead on the cave floor (photo middle).
From the nest of mix black feather and saliva, this young bird is
identified as the species Collacalia Maximus.
So plentiful of young chicks are found on the cave floor during
harvest that this soft drink lady hawker picked up two for decoration
on her T-shirts (photo bottom).
She belongs to the tribe Ida’ans. The Ida'ans villagers held their
rights to the Madai Caves . And for 20 over generations the Ida'ans
harvest these edible birds' nests and sales to merchants who
exports the nests to China.
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Harvesting the nests

The harvesting of Swiftlet nests is a potentially hazardous
occupation. See above photo.
They are collected from high, dark caves by special collectors who
climb up and balance on bamboo poles attached to steep cliffs.
These cliffs reach hundreds of meters in height. This is a traditional
occupation and the skill of nest collection is generally passed down
from father to son.

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Black-nest of Swiftlets - Edible-nest

Black-nest Swiftlets weave a nest from strands of saliva:
The male swiftlet regurgitates a long, thin gelatinous strand from
salivary glands under its tongue which is then wound into a half-
cup nest which bonds like quick-drying cement to the inside of a
cave wall.
Swiftlet nests are carefully removed from the cave wall (see photo).
The nests are relatively tasteless and so are usually served in soup
or jelly, mixed with chicken, spices, sauce or sweets.

Swiftlets build their nests with twigs, straws and earth and are no
edible contents
But there are 3 special species of swiftlets build their nests mixed
with saliva.
These three major types of edible bird's nests have purity protein
contents and nutritional value of the saliva secreted.
The species Collocalia ciphaga swiftlets has the the highest saliva
contents(see photos below).

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• Collocalia ciphaga bird's nest:

Collocalia ciphaga bird's nest built with pure saliva from swiftlets
with minimum impurities.

Saliva dried and in strips form with high affinity for water.

This is the best quality bird's nest.

Color usually white, yellow, red or grey in colour.

Photo above : Gomantong Caves is the World’s biggest bird’s nest

caves.

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This bird’s nest caves produce Collocalia ciphaga bird's nest.

Only 45 minutes by car from Sandakan City.

• Collacalia Maximus bird's nest:

Collacalia Maximus is a type of cave swiftlet that have less saliva.

This species of bird build their nests mixing feathers and saliva.

Colour is lighter. Usually white or yellow.

Collacalia Maximus bird's nest require more processing. The nests

must be broken up and soaked in water before feathers and
impurities are removed. They are then made into bird's nest strips,
bird's nest balls and bird's nest biscuits.

As it requires more processing, their nutritional value and price are

lower than Collocalia ciphaga bird's nests. Collacalia Maximus
bird's nests also have a lower water affinity compared to Collocalia
ciphaga bird's nests, thus they do not expand so much.

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Photo above : A young villager with his fortune find of 2 Collacalia

Maximus bird's nest in Madai Cave, Sabah.
Each year the bird's nest harvest in Madai Cave is done by
professional harvesters who climb up the 100 meters tall cave wall
to scrape out bird's nest.

But what ever dropped off to the ground belong to those fortune
seeking villagers waiting down below like the young man in above
photo.

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• Hydrochous Gigas bird's nest:

Hydrochous Gigas bird's nest may be divided into two type :
1) House Hydrochous Gigas
2) Cave Hydrochous Gigas

Both are mostly found along the coastal regions.

Hydrochous Gigas swiftlets use their saliva and straws to build

their nests.

These bird's nests contain mainly pieces of straws and less saliva.

Hydrochous Gigas bird's nests come from swiftlets with specially

sticky saliva. These swiftlets love to use young straw and their
saliva to build their nests. Their bird's nests therefore are high in
impurities and their edible bird's nest content is the lowest among
the three types of swiftlets and so is its price. They are usually sold
as broken bird's nest and bird's nest strips.

Photo above : A House Hydrochous Gigas swiftlet is hatching in an

abandoned house in Kimanis, Sabah.

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Bird's Nest / Edible Birdnest Processing HACCP

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)

HACCP of Bird's Nest / Edible Birdnest Processing from SIRIM

(Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia) is certified
by Ministry Of Health.
It certify the bird's nest / edible birdnest processing procedure has
fulfilled the international highest food standard

HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed

through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and
physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and
handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the
finished product.

HACCP is used in the food industry to identify potential food safety

hazards, so that key actions can be taken to reduce or eliminate the
risk of the hazards being realized. The system is used at all stages
of food production and preparation processes including packaging,
distribution, etc. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) say that their
mandatory HACCP programs for juice and meat are an effective
approach to food safety and protecting public health. Meat HACCP
systems are regulated by the USDA, while seafood and juice are
regulated by the FDA. The use of HACCP is currently voluntary in
other food industries.

Edible birdnest processing line including

categorizing,
cleaning,
drying and
packaging.

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HACCP certification of Ministry Of Health, Malaysia. :

Is according Malaysia Standard set by :
Department Of Standards Malaysia. MS2333:2010,
Malaysia Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for Processing Raw-
unclean and Raw-clean Edible-Birdnest (EBN)

Types Of Bird's Nest

They are actually the saliva nests constructed by esculent swiftlets

that are native in Thailand, Indonesian, Malaysia and south of
China.
According to the environment in which the bird's nests are formed,
they can be classified into
cave nest and
house nest.

Bird's nest sold in the market are classified into different grades
according to their shapes.
Premium whole white bird's nest,
whole "bloody" bird's nest,
whole bird's nest and
bird's nest strips
Bird's nest shreds,
bird's nest in compact cake or ball forms; and
bird's nest fragments

Although bird's nests are classified into different grades, their

nutrition values are almost same. From modern medical point of
view, bird's nest are rich in proteins and amino acids, which serve
to treat
malnutrition,

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gastric ulcer,
anemia,
heart failure and
coarse skin.

While from the Chinese medical point of view, bird's nest

nourish the whole body,
improve skin texture,
strengthen the Spleen and
benefit the Stomach.

Types Of Bird's Nest according to environment;

1. Cave Nest
Cave Nest - Cave Nest is found in caves, the coulour is yellow or
gray with a firm texture. We can get cave nest in Sabah and
Sarawak.

2. House Nest

Found under the beams of houses purposely build for the swiftlets,
they have regular edges and are white in colour. There aren't many
fine feathers and there isn't any impurity. They are looser, softer
and smoother in texture.

Types Of Bird's Nest according to shape;

1. Whole Bird's Nest

2. Bird's Nest Strips

Incomplete bird's nests that cannot be made into half-bowl shape

are pressed into strip.

3. Broken Bird's Nest

Edible-Birdnest

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Eedible-birdnest swiftlet ranching.

HACCP certified raw-unclean edible-birdnest processing line.
HACCP certified clean edible-birdnest processing line.

Wholesales and export of edible-birdnest.

Edible-birdnest export permit in Malaysia and import permit in
China.

Bird's nest soup is a delicacy in Chinese cuisine.

Only the cave swifts are renowned for building the saliva nests
used to produce the unique texture of this soup.

These edible bird's nests are among the most expensive animal
products consumed by humans. T
For over 400 years the the Chinese has been cooking this bird's
nest soup.
the birds' nests became a gelatinous texture when dissolved in
water.

The most heavily harvested nests are from the Edible-nest Swiftlet
or White-nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) and the Black-nest
Swiftlet (Aerodramus maximus).
The white nests and the red nests are supposedly rich in nutrients,
which are traditionally believed to provide health benefits, such as
aiding digestion, raising libido, improving the voice, alleviating
asthma, improving focus, and an overall benefit to the immune
system.

Most nests are built during the breeding season by the male swiftlet
over a period of 35 days.
They take the shape of a shallow cup stuck to the cave wall. The
nests are composed of interwoven strands of salivary laminae
cement. Both nests have high levels of calcium, iron, potassium,

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and magnesium.

Hong Kong and the United States are the largest importers of these
nests.
In Hong Kong, a bowl of bird's nest soup would cost $30 USD to
$100 USD.
A kilogram of white nest can cost up to $2,000 USD, and a kilogram
of red nests can cost up to $10,000 USD.

Natural red cave nests are often only found in limestone caves in a
bird nest concession island in Thailand.

The nests were formerly harvested from caves, principally the

enormous limestone caves at Gomantong and Niah in Borneo.
From there the nests are mostly exported to Hong Kong, which has
become the centre of the world trade, though most of the final
consumers are from mainland China.
It has been estimated that the products now account for 0.5% of the
Indonesian GDP, equivalent to about a quarter of Indonesia's
fishing industry.

The bird's nest harvesting industry is contributing to deforestation in

Indonesia, notably in the Gunung Palung National Park, West
Kalimantan (mid-2011).
The swiftlet barns in this area are built from copious quantities of
timber (particularly belian and meranti), and legal timber supplies
are inadequate to meet demand, which is instead being met by
increasing levels of illegal logging in the National Park.

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