Tips for choosing Bird’s nest
1. Dryness: You should feel the bird nest with your hands. It should be dry, light and hard. Bird’s nest that are sticky & soft, will weighs heavier thus the price will be overcharged from the extra weight. And will become mouldy easily.
If the Bird’s nest in cupped shape dry, there should be 6-7 pieces in every 38 grams. On the other hand, there are usually 9-11 pieces of Bird’s nest cake in every 38 grams. However, this depends on the size of the Bird’s nest cake.
2. 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
3. Pricing and Quality: 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
What are ingredients the crook added to fake bird nests?
1. The ingredients used to fake the nests include resin, seaweed, and white fungus called “the white Tremella”. White Tremella mushroom is added in between the nest-pieces. So, one of the keys to distinguish it when you are purchasing bird’s nest is to quickly check the base of the nest pieces.
Fake Bird's Nest externally looks very similar to the real ones but if you were to check the base, it is very obvious you can deteck chunks of Tremella mushrooms. Bird’s nest is never this chunky.
2. 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.
3. Illegal merchants may coat a layer of "egg white" or "jelly" on poor quality imitations, this "increases the weight".
How do I differentiate between real and fake nest?
Fake Nest
1. The nest will reflect light and look opaque
2. Uniform in color or strands
Real Nest
1. Fishy smell or egg shell smell (When cooked, it releases a light aroma resembling the aroma of an egg white.)
2. Expanding 2 – 3 times after soaking
3. Light will penetrate though a real bird's nest
Fake Bird's Nest externally looks very similar to the real ones but if you were to check the base, it is very obvious you can deteck chunks of Tremella mushrooms. Bird’s nest is never this chunky.
2. 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.
3. Illegal merchants may coat a layer of "egg white" or "jelly" on poor quality imitations, this "increases the weight".
How do I differentiate between real and fake nest?
Fake Nest
1. The nest will reflect light and look opaque
2. Uniform in color or strands
Real Nest
1. Fishy smell or egg shell smell (When cooked, it releases a light aroma resembling the aroma of an egg white.)
2. Expanding 2 – 3 times after soaking
3. Light will penetrate though a real bird's nest
