TCM clinic: Edible Birds Nest for dry skin

The nests are built almost exclusively by the male swiftlet in approximately 35 days and they are composed almost entirely of a glutinous material found in its saliva.

What it is:

The consumption of Edible Birds Nest is seen as a symbol of wealth, power and prestige.
Known as yanwo in Chinese, it has been used medicinally in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as far back as the Tang and Song dynasties.
The journal Food Research International reported in 2005 that the majority of Edible Birds Nest  that is traded worldwide comes from just two species of swiftlets.
They are the white-Edible Birds Nest and the black-Edible Birds Nest, whose habitats range from the Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean to the sea caves in the coastal regions of Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Borneo and the Palawan Islands in the Philippines.
The nests are built almost exclusively by the male swiftlet in approximately 35 days and they are composed almost entirely of a glutinous material found in its saliva.
The journal reported that the cleaning process is so tedious that it takes a person eight hours or so to clean about 10 nests.
It involves soaking the nests in water until they grow soft, then manually removing small feathers with tweezers.
After that, the nest strands are rearranged and moulded into various shapes.
Often referred to as the "caviar of the East", a tael (37.6g) of Edible Birds Nest sold at Eu Yan Sang retail outlets costs between $128 and $788, depending on their grade and whether they are house nests or the less common cave nests.

TCM clinic: Edible Birds Nest for dry skin

How TCM uses it:

Edible Birds Nest is classified as a neutral food that is neither heaty nor cooling. Its sweet flavour means it exhibits a nourishing property as well.
It is said to move through the meridians of the lungs, stomach and kidneys.
Meridians are channels in the body through which qi (vital energy) travels.
Edible Birds Nest is used to moisten the lungs and stomach when they lack yin, the element responsible for cooling organs.
A balance of yin and yang - which is linked to heat - in the body is required for good health.
Mr Sim Beng Choon, a TCM physician at Fu Yang Tang Medical Hall, said a person whose lungs lack yin may experience thirst, a dry and sore throat, as well as a red tongue and a dry cough, possibly with blood-streaked sputum.
A person who does not have enough yin in his stomach may lose his appetite and suffer from a dry mouth and constipation.
TCM believes that the health of the lungs affects that of the skin, so nourishing the lungs with Edible Birds Nest can improve one's complexion and address dry skin too, he added.
However, Edible Birds Nest is rarely used in TCM prescriptions because of its steep price, he said. It is usually cooked with rock sugar or red dates.
Ms Zhang Ruifen, a TCM physician at Eu Yan Sang, said Edible Birds Nest is used to boost qi in the body, a lack of which can give rise to fatigue and breathlessness, among other symptoms. Yet the effect of Edible Birds Nest on the body's qi is not as strong as that of ginseng, she added.

Who it is for:

Mr Sim said elderly people, especially those who have battled illnesses, tend to be weak in yin and qi and can benefit from eating Edible Birds Nest.
It would help to resolve prolonged ailments like chronic coughs, but is not intended to treat acute coughs.
He advised people to eat Edible Birds Nest in the mornings - the time when the digestive system, according to TCM principles, is believed to be the most active - for optimal absorption of nutrients.
Ms Zhang said cancer patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy tend to exhibit "dry symptoms", such as dry mouths, throats and skin, which Edible Birds Nest can help with.

Who should avoid it:

Those who have a lot of phlegm in their throats, a sign of dampness which causes illnesses, should refrain from taking Edible Birds Nest, said Ms Zhang.
She advised adults to consume no more than one big raw Edible Birds Nest a day, while a 12-year-old should have about half of this portion.
Younger children should consume a correspondingly smaller portion of the Chinese delicacy, she added.

What research has shown:

A 2001 clinical study in Singapore found that Edible Birds Nest is the most common cause of food-induced anaphylaxis (a serious allergic reaction) in children, even surpassing other well-recognised food allergens, such as cow's milk or eggs for younger children and peanut or crustacean seafood for older children.
This severe allergic reaction can cause breathing difficulties, dizziness and hives - symptoms which are similar to those induced by egg-like proteins.

Recipe: Peppermint Edible Birds Nest porridge

Ingredients
15g dried or fresh peppermint leaves
37.5g uncooked white rice
2 tsp bottled Edible Birds Nest
Dried tangerine peel, a pinch
Sugar or salt, to taste
250ml water
Method
1. Soak the dried tangerine peel in water until it becomes soft. Remove its pith before use.
2. In a pot with 250ml of hot water, add the peppermint leaves and cover with a lid.
3. Filter out the peppermint leaves after soaking them for 10 to 20 minutes. Keep them for use later.
4. Use the mint-flavoured water to cook the rice and tangerine peel for 30 to 40 minutes, until it becomes porridge.
5. While the porridge is hot, add the Edible Birds Nest and peppermint leaves.
6. Finally, add salt or sugar to taste.

Taninthayi earns K1.8 billion from Edible Birds Nest enterprise tender

THE regional fund of Taninthayi Region is K1.8 billion larger after it received funding from a Edible Birds Nest enterprise tender process, according to the Regional Minister of Forestry.

The Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) previously had a monopoly over the Edible Birds Nest collection enterprises in the region in the years leading up to 2014, before tender offers began to be put out to other companies.
“There was only ever this one private company involved in this enterprise as they were the only company who would bid when tenders were first put out. The price of the tender this year, however, has tripled as other companies have entered the competition by placing bids,” said U Tin Thein, director of the Department of Forestry for Taninthayi Region.
The process of calling Edible Birds Nest enterprise to tender began on 9 February, with the bidding companies announced on 15 February. Twenty-five per cent of the price of the tender bid first had to be paid up front to the Myanma Economic Bank, while the remainder had to be settled by February 17.
“There are only four areas within the region in which Edible Birds Nests can be collected. Four companies applied shortly after the tenders were called, but only three turned up on the day when successful bids were announced. Only two of these three companies were successful, walking away with the rights to collect Edible Birds Nests,” explained U Win Naing, assistant director of the forestry department.
Among the companies that bid—MEC, Ruby Light Rays and Grand Andaman Islands—MEC was awarded Plot 3, while Grand Andaman Islands swept up plots 1, 2 and 4.
Plot 1 is located within the townships of Laung Lone and Yay Phyu, covering an area of eight islands, won with a tender bid of over K1.2 million. Plot 2 comprises ten islands in the Ye Aye island cluster in the Myeik archipelago; it was secured with a successful bid of more than K1.8 million. Plot 3 is located in Kaw Thaung District, the southernmost part of the country, made up of a group of nine islands for which the winning bid surpassed K420 million. Plot 4 is located in an area covering the five islands of Pulaw Township, of which the tender was awarded to a bid of over K1.44 billion.
Successful tender bidders are permitted to exploit their winning plots only up until November of this year, while the period of time in which the actual collecting of Edible Birds Nests can take place three months per year in order to mitigate the potential wiping out of bird species in these areas. Edible Birds Nest collectors are also prohibited from making artificial alterations to caves where Edible Birds Nests are located.
Under a government initiative, some areas of Taninthayi Region have been designated wildlife zones in order to provide a safe haven for birds to nest and reproduce, according to the regional forestry department.
In the 2013-2014 fiscal year, when Edible Birds Nest enterprise tenders were called, the regional fund banked over K900 million, while the following fiscal year saw a decline with K620 million secured.
The current regional price for one viss (1.54 kilos) of black Edible Birds Nest fetches approximately K300,000, while white Edible Birds Nests are significantly more valuable, with the same weight going for as much as K6 million.

How to differentiate GENUINE and FAKE Edible Birds Nest?

Genuine Edible Birds Nest

Genuine Edible Birds Nest has a natural creamy colour with fibre-like strands. The traces of feathers or dirt specks in genuine Edible Birds Nest cannot be 100% clean.
Genuine Edible Birds Nest gives out a unique egg white or fishy smell on its own and after being cooked, every piece of genuine Edible Birds Nest is different in its colour, shape and weight.
Genuine Edible Birds Nest is very fragile and easy to break into fine pieces and is 99% dry. It takes about 15-30 minutes to soak them into water, and then it will expand four to seven times bigger than its normal size. You can find some tiny feathers or tiny black specks on the Edible Birds Nest. Traces of feathers or impurity are one proof and guarantee of its authenticity.

Fake or Chemically Treated Edible Birds Nest

Dear Edible Birds Nest lovers, it is time to stop being cheated by rogue businessmen.
Edible Birds Nest is a high value healthy food. Yet, some rogue businessmen started exploiting the Edible Birds Nest trade by selling fake or chemically treated Edible Birds Nest for fast money. The majority of Edible Birds Nest lovers are unaware of how to differentiate between genuine and chemical treated Edible Birds Nest.

Different Ways of Chemically Treated Edible Birds Nest:

Strong bleaching agent - to get rid of tiny feathers and impurity or black specks. The Edible Birds Nest look very white or clean. Every pieces looked the same. It has a chemical smell or sour smell or no smell of egg white or fishy smell.
Industrial colouring - dye the Edible Birds Nest into red, orange, and yellow colour. Every pieces looked the same. Industrial colouring (dye) is very poisonous and can cause a cancer or death if consumed regularly.
Added with seaweeds (agar agar) - to make the Edible Birds Nest heavier to cheat on its weight. It has a smell of seaweed or chemical.
Industrial glue - to glue the Edible Birds Nest together and make it heavier. It has a smell of chemical or sour smell. The Edible Birds Nest looked more solid and not so fragile.
The effective way to test the Edible Birds Nest is to smell the dried Edible Birds Nest, place a piece of wet Edible Birds Nest into a plastic bag, and tie the bag tightly. Then, you either can open the plastic bag after 10 minutes or place a piece of wet Edible Birds Nest into the fridge for one hour before smelling the content. If you can smell chemical or unpleasant smell, the Edible Birds Nest is not pure.
Some rogue businessmen can even spray the Edible Birds Nest with water to cheat you on the weight. You can tell blending the Edible Birds Nest. If it can be blended, the Edible Birds Nest contains 20 to 30% water. Chemical treated Edible Birds Nest takes more then one hour or longer to expand when soaked in water. If a trader claimed that their Edible Birds Nest is 100% clean, be careful.
Cave nest contains more impurities due to the minerals and metals that are present in the cave. It is impossible to manually clean them, therefore 99% of cave nest is being cleaned by a strong bleaching agent.
Blood nest is not being created by the swiftlet itself but by the mineral and metal content and the impurity of the wet surface in the cave. 99% of blood nest in the market is made by drying the white Edible Birds Nest with industrial colouring or smoke the Edible Birds Nest with swiftlet dropping for a few weeks.