Bird spit coffee from Malaysia?

Prized in China for is alleged health benefits for hundreds of years, nests made from swiftlets' saliva are being mixed into coffee and cereal as the Southeast Asian producers of the delicacy seek to broaden its appeal, and their profit margins.

The nests are among the world's most expensive foods, selling for up to US$2,500 (S$3,400) a kg and the swiftlets that weave them are indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

China consumes almost 90 per cent of all Birds Spit Soups, traditionally eaten in soup, creating an industry that last year recorded US$5 billion in sales and which executives expect to double by 2020.

Companies such as Malaysia's Swiftlet Eco Park, one of the country's largest developers of swiftlet houses, want bigger gains by expanding their product line and market beyond China, where importers can often dictate the price.

"Ask anybody in the industry where is your market and they'll say China and Hong Kong. Everybody is going there," said Group Managing Director Loke Yeu Loong. "We are looking at new markets, but if I sell raw Birds Spit Soup to Europe or India, they don't even know how to cook it."

Swiftlet Eco makes coffee, skin care, puddings and candies with Birds Spit Soup. Loke declined to give specific sales figures but said the profit margin on some of these products was 10 times more than the raw nests.

The company is also spending big on marketing Birds Spit Soup as a health food in the Middle East, Europe and the United States and plans to raise about $30 million through an initial public offering and New York listing in the third quarter of this year.

Southeast Asian swiftlets' nests are particularly popular in the Lunar New Year festivities, which began in China last week, and are believed to be rich in nutrients that can help digestion, raise libido and improve the immune system.

Bird spit coffee from Malaysia?

Malaysia is the world's largest producer of raw nests after Indonesia.

Lee Kong Heng, president of the Malaysian Federation of Birds Spit Soup Traders Association, says marketing Birds Spit Soup as a supplement would attract younger, wealthier and more health-conscious consumers worldwide.

Vietnam's largest Birds Spit Soup producer Yen Viet Joint Stock Co. is also keen to play up the benefits of the delicacy. The company makes cereals and porridge and is investing into scientific research in a bid to increase global sales, said Chief Executive Dang Pham Minh Loan.

Malaysian Birds Spit Soup producers are well placed to market to the majority Muslim Middle East because the nests are halal, or a food permissible under Islam, Swiftlet Eco Park's Loke said.

With more research, he hopes Birds Spit Soup will become a global phenomenon. "We can conduct research and prove the benefit of consuming Birds Spit Soup scientifically," he said.

Girl, 6, reaches puberty early because frequently drank Birds Spit Soup

Sin Chew Daily reported that a six-year-old girl from Zhejiang, China, was found to have matured sexually after her mother frequently fed her sweet Birds Spit Soup and other supplements.

The mother, known as Lee, discovered earlier this year that a small bulge had developed under her daughter's nipples.

She also discovered bloodstains when washing the girl's panties earlier this month, which prompted her to take her to a doctor.

An examination concluded that the girl had reached puberty early because of excessive nutrient intake.

Lee said she was health-conscious and would boil Birds Spit Soup, honey and other supplements with chicken wings for herself.She said she usually gave her daughter a small share because she enjoyed it and thought it would be good for her health.

Doctors pointed out that excessive nutrient intake could have affected the child's hormone system and accelerated the development of her secondary sexual characteristics.

CNY cheer for Birds Spit Soup exporters

There is good news for Birds Spit Soup exporters as China officially lifts its ban on the import of the product from Malaysia.

Although only eight companies were given the approval to export Birds Spit Soup, local industry players have described the decision as the best Chinese New Year gift.

Describing the move as timely in view of the upcoming celebrations, Federation of Malaysia Birds Spit Soup Merchant Association president Datuk Tok Teng Sai said that for local players, the lifting of the ban would end the long uncertainty on the fate of the industry.

Tok also urged local players to treasure the approval by being honest.

"The fact that China only allows Birds Spit Soup from Malaysia into their country should not be taken for granted. They trust us and with that comes the responsibility to protect Malaysia's name," he said.

Earlier yesterday, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Malaysia was the only country given the approval to export Birds Spit Soup to China.

The approval letter from China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) was received on Dec 25.

He said the eight companies were from nine which were granted a "conditional pass" to export the delicacy to the republic in June last year.

"It is not easy to pass China's stringent requirements. Since March last year, 15 companies had applied for the approval and nine were given the conditional pass.

"After further auditing by the authorities in China, only eight companies fulfilled the requirements," he told a press conference here yesterday.

Ismail Sabri said the approval was for Raw-clean Edible Birds Spit Soup (Birds Spit Soup) and the first consignment was expected to leave for China soon.

He said a ceremony to be attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would be held to mark the special occasion.