Just about anyone in the bird nest industry can claim to be a supplier. But not all of them can claim to be genuine providers. If you intend to buy edible bird nests anywhere and are wondering how to find genuine suppliers, this article is for you.
Genuine Bird’s Nest Fountains
To identify a genuine supplier of bird nests, you need to understand where they get the nests from. Edible bird nests are built by three different species of Swiftlets birds namely; Collocalia Fuchipaga, Collocalia Esculanta and Collocalia Máxima. Most of these birds build their nests in limestone caves, while others build theirs in abandoned houses near the village. These birds build these nests to raise their young.
The Collocalia Fuchipaga
The Collocalia Fuchipaga produces the white bird nests that are considered the highest quality of all. This species of swiftlet uses its saliva to build its nest. Saliva acts as gelatinous threads. The nest of this species is made up of 87% – 97% saliva and other elements such as feathers. The high percentage of saliva makes it a rich source of minerals and nutrients and is the reason why white nests are considered the best quality.
The Collocalia Esculanta
The Collocalia Esculanta species uses their saliva and leaves to build their nests. As such, nests typically contain 5-15% of the bird’s saliva, with the rest being leaves. In addition, the nests are usually transparent, grayish in color and shiny.
The Collocalia Maxima
The Collocalia Maxima species use their feathers and saliva to build nests. These nests are dull, cream-colored, and shiny. The nest is often made up of 5% saliva, while the rest is the bird’s feathers. Collocalia Maxima nests are absolutely safe and healthy for human consumption. Here are some relevant tips to help you differentiate fake nest providers from genuine nest providers:
Allows Inspection
Genuine bird nest suppliers allow buyers to inspect them before purchasing. Avoid buying from suppliers that do not allow physical inspection. Some nests are prepackaged to prevent people from inspecting them. Don’t buy the prepackaged ones.
Sizes
When you inspect any nest, look at the sizes. The originals are not all the same size. All species of Swiftlets are not exactly the same and even within the same species, the sizes are different. As such, all nest sizes cannot be the same. But all fakes usually have the same sizes.
Ask for evidence of government approval
Before you buy from any supplier, ask for proof of government approval. In a number of different countries where bird nests are available for sale, the government often has a regulatory agency to control the activities of the vendors.
catch the smell
Bird nests are often harvested after the young Swiftlets are weaned and have flown away. As such, the nests often have a mild egg-like odor. As you watch the nests, pay close attention to the scent that emanates from them. The ones sold by fake vendors have hardly any odor, and if they do, they barely smell like eggs. Fake ones often smell like chemical bleach if you look closely.
observe the colors
The color of the nests sold by fake providers is usually absolutely white or reflective. These fakes have been chemically bleached and are unhealthy and harmful if consumed. The authentic ones are usually cream colored and not absolutely reflective or transparent.
Try the Bird’s Nest Water Experiment
You can try this water experiment to check if a bird’s nest is fake or genuine. Start by soaking a small portion in water for a few minutes. Carefully pull the strands out of the nest. If the strands snap easily, then the nest is not authentic. The real ones are made by Swiftlets and the bird’s saliva solidifies. Ideally, it would take nearly 48 hours or more to soak a genuine nest before its threads come loose.
How to spot fake providers
Most fake bird nest suppliers often pre-package it to avoid physical inspection. Such nests are often sealed in a small container and labeled. Be careful if you intend to buy them. They are often unhealthy and extremely harmful. Fake providers make their nests with different materials. Some of these materials include mushrooms, gelatin, glue and flour, pig skin, sea gum, or tree algae.
Fake growers know how to make their fake nests look real, but there are ways to identify them. Bird nests are fragile and break easily. Fake ones do not break easily, they are elastic. Also, the fake ones have a shiny surface and feel like plastic when touched. Before you buy from any supplier, touch the nest to find out how it feels and note its level of elasticity.
conclusion
Many providers of fake bird’s nests are usually more intelligent than many people can imagine. They go to great lengths to make fake nests look real and can easily seduce buyers by offering low prices. But if you intend to buy from a genuine bird nest supplier but don’t know how to find one, you should follow the tips mentioned in this article step by step.