[Jin Haisheng] Expert Guide: The Secrets to "Preserving Value" of Dried Bird's Nest and Ready-to-Eat Bird's Nest

Paragraph 1: The Three Principles of "Value Maintenance" for Dried Bird's Nest

Dried bird's nest (such as imperial bird's nest) is the most original form of bird's nest, and its value depends on the integrity of the nest, the purity of processing, and its moisture content. To ensure that the value of dried bird's nest is not diminished, the following points must be strictly controlled to avoid buying inferior products that have undergone poor processing:

1. Shape, location, and cleanliness of the picked hair

The value of top-grade dried bird's nest lies in its integrity and natural purity .

• Selection of parts: The whole bird's nest is the most complete and highest grade form, and also the most expensive. Its shape should be a natural 180 degrees, composed of irregular horizontal fibers. Second-grade bird's nest strips, corners, and fragments are cheaper, but their nutritional value is relatively lower.
• Size and Glue Addition: Top-grade bird's nests are approximately 3A in size (about the size of three fingertips). If a bird's nest is too large or too intact, be wary of whether it has been augmented with glue to increase its size or weight . Unscrupulous vendors may use seaweed, fish bone powder, or other adhesives to coat the surface of the bird's nest to make it appear smooth, but this will reduce the actual amount of bird's nest the customer is buying. Bird's nests that have been augmented with glue will appear opaque.
• Natural purity: Bird's nest is a water-soluble protein. Soaking it in water during the feather-picking process causes some nutrients to be lost as they "dissolve" in water. Therefore, bird's nest with high purity and fewer fine feathers retains higher nutritional value because it requires fewer feather-picking processes.
• Beware of bleaching: Even after manual cleaning, natural bird's nests will still contain some minor impurities. If a bird's nest appears very clean and white , it may have been cleaned or bleached using chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide . Bleached bird's nests not only have extremely low nutritional value but may also lose their natural egg white aroma.

2. Identification of dryness and weight

The core value of dried bird's nest lies in its edible portion , that is, the expansion multiple after stewing.

• Dryness test: When purchasing, ensure that the dried bird's nest has low moisture content and feels dry to the touch, rather than being soft or heavy. Bird's nest with high moisture content, if water is added to increase its weight, will not only have a lower actual weight but will also be more prone to spoilage or mold. Some vendors will spray glue on the surface of the bird's nest to seal it and lock in the internal moisture, making it appear very dry.
• Expansion ratio: High-quality bird's nest can expand to 6 to 7 times its original size, or even up to 14 times, after being soaked in water. Bird's nest with low dryness or added weight will have a significantly reduced expansion ratio.

Paragraph Two: The Wisdom and Quantitative Standards of "Preserving Value" in Ready-to-Eat Bird's Nest

Ready-to-eat bird's nest (including freshly stewed and rock sugar bird's nest) is marketed as convenient and ready to eat. Its value cannot be judged solely by packaging volume or price; it must be based on scientific quantitative indicators .

1. Value indicator of solids content

• Core Standard: The key to assessing whether the price of ready-to-eat bird's nest is reasonable is the solid content indicated on the bottle. Bird's nest is expensive, and if too much water is added during stewing, although the volume may seem large and cost-effective, the actual amount of bird's nest is low, which will accelerate the "watery" state of the bird's nest and lead to the loss of nutritional value.
• Product differences in the market: Products that do not contain excess moisture after stewing (such as 100% pure bird's nest) use top-grade bird's nest with high purity and coarse strands as raw materials. The sialic acid content in ready-to-eat bird's nest is usually low, possibly only 20% to 30% of that in traditional dried bird's nest stewed products.

2. Strictly prevent additives and inferior raw materials.

• Avoid edible gums: especially in rock sugar bird's nest products, be wary of whether edible gums such as galangal have been added. These additives can make the bird's nest appear thick and floating, misleading consumers into believing that it contains a high amount of edible gums .
• Odor identification: Normal bird's nest will only have a light fragrance or egg white smell. If there is an unnatural chemical smell, resin smell, or fried smell after opening the bottle, it may contain additives or be made with inferior raw materials.
• Raw material sourcing: The most expensive bird's nest is made from whole bird's nest pieces. If the price of ready-to-eat bird's nest is too low, it is very likely that inferior raw materials such as bird's nest fragments or corners with more impurities and which are difficult to clean are used, and it may even have been cleaned with chemical agents. Some low-priced bottled bird's nests on the market have been suspected of using cheap edible resin as a raw material.

Paragraph 3: Scientific Identification: Ensuring the Core Nutritional Value of Bird's Nest

To ensure the "value" of bird's nest, we must ultimately return to the authenticity and content of its core nutrients— sialic acid and protein .

1. Core nutrient: Sialic acid

• Key Value: Sialic acid (commonly known as bird's nest acid) is the most precious component of bird's nest. Its content is as high as 8% or more, which is 50 times that of ordinary substances, and it is also the only way to obtain a large amount of sialic acid directly from food.
• Benefits: Sialic acid is a key nutrient for fetal brain development (especially during pregnancy to 2 years of age) and the maturation of the immune system. It can promote the speed of information transmission between brain nerve cells; at the same time, the glycoproteins formed by sialic acid can block the attachment of pathogens, helping to improve the body's immune function.
• Content Verification: The sialic acid content directly determines the nutritional value of a product. Therefore, when selecting a product, check whether it has passed third-party testing and certification such as SGS and whether the sialic acid concentration is clearly labeled. Laboratories can use **high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)** to accurately measure the sialic acid content in dried bird's nest or rock sugar bird's nest products.

2. Protein Structure and Safety Risks

• Protein content: The protein content of high-quality dried bird's nest in its dry state is about 50%.
• Authenticity Verification: Some fake bird's nests may be adulterated with ingredients such as pigskin glue or sodium alginate. Professional laboratories can distinguish between genuine and fake bird's nests by analyzing the specific amino acid composition and ratio (such as Val, Pro, Phe, Tyr, and Hyp). Capillary electrophoresis (CE) can also be used to analyze the amino acid structure of proteins to differentiate between genuine and fake bird's nests.
• Food Safety: Bird's nest may naturally contain nitrites , which may be related to environmental pollution (such as nitrates in bird droppings). To maintain the nutritional value of bird's nest, it must be thoroughly washed and soaked for several hours (it is recommended to change the water once or twice). This can remove up to 90% of the nitrites. The soaking water should be discarded. Bird's nest is not suitable for infants under three months old .

3. Advantages of preserving value during pregnancy and daily life

Bird's nest, as a top-grade tonic, is especially suitable for certain groups to maximize its health benefits (i.e., "value preservation"):

• For pregnant and postpartum women: Bird's nest is rich in sialic acid, which helps with fetal brain development. It also contains epidermal growth factor (EGF), which helps with skin health, beauty, and repairing damaged tissue. Postpartum consumption of bird's nest helps mothers regulate their constitution and aids in recovery.
• Timing of consumption: It is recommended to consume on an empty stomach in the morning or before bedtime , as absorption is most efficient at these times.
• Dietary restrictions: Avoid consuming with spicy, greasy, or acidic foods. When taking Chinese or Western medicine, wait at least one hour between doses.

Price Reference and Jin Haisheng's Commitment

The price of bird's nest varies depending on its origin (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, etc.), batch, and grade. We provide an estimated market retail price range (based on the exchange rate of the day, assuming 1 New Taiwan Dollar ≈ 0.25 Hong Kong Dollar; this is for reference only, and the actual price should be based on market quotations):

We at Jin Hai Sheng promise that all our products undergo rigorous quality control from the source, providing transparent and professional identification knowledge to ensure that the bird's nest you purchase meets the highest quality standards. Choosing high-quality bird's nest is the best investment in your health.

Merchant Name: Jin Haisheng

Contact information: WhatsApp: (852)69035182