New standards for safe nitrate levels in Birds Spit Soup

The Department of Standards Malaysia is developing edible Birds Spit Soups production standards and test methods to determine the safe levels of nitrate content for consumption and to meet stringent export requirements for China's market.

Director-general Datuk Fadilah Baharin said a comprehensive study was being conducted by the department along with the Health Ministry.

The new standards are expected to be introduced by the end of next year, she added.

She said high nitrate content could pose serious health risks such as cancer and China had banned the import of unprocessed swiftlet nests from Malaysia before for allegedly having high nitrate content.

However, the export of Birds Spit Soups in processed forms or ready-to-eat jelly or drinks (in bottles) was not affected, she said in an interview.

Currently, only 50 per cent of swiftlet farming companies were able to export Birds Spit Soups to China, she said.

She added that "with the introduction of the standards, we expect that up to 90 per cent of the companies could export their products."

Fadilah said the standard swiftlet farming initiated by Standards Malaysia since 2010 were the first of its kind in the world.

The development of standards of raw Birds Spit Soups for authentication, quality, grading, packaging and labelling started three years ago, she said.

She said besides China, the Malaysian swiftlet nest industry also targeted new markets including Hong Kong, Japan and Italy to capitalise on rising demand.

Stricter rules on Birds Spit Soup in Malaysia

Some 60,000 swiftlet ranchers are expected to be affected by the stricter safety regulations imposed by Malaysia's Veterinary Services Department on the export of raw, unclean edible Birds Spit Soup.

Coalition of Swiftlet Birdnest Ranches Malaysia chairman Allan Ho said the local Code of Veterinary Practice was looking to adopt different microbiological and chemical parameters as part of the standards for clean and raw unclean Birds Spit Soup.

"Chinese authorities pointed out that both clean and raw unclean edible Birds Spit Soups are lumped under one single specification although these are distinctively different.

"This means that raw unclean Birds Spit Soup comprising 95 per cent of the country's production to China will see little likelihood of export in the near future," he said in a statement here yesterday.

New standards for safe nitrate levels in Birds Spit Soup

The strict regulations, said Ho, would further burden the ranchers who had patiently waited for over three years to get clearance from China.

China had banned the imports following the discovery of high levels of nitrite in clean Malaysian Birds Spit Soup in July 2011.

The ban had hit the country's swiftlet industry hard as China was reported to be the biggest importer of Birds Spit Soup products with an annual trading value of about RM1bil.

However, it was reported that China had since lifted its freeze, with approval granted to nine Malaysian companies.

Agriculture and Agro-based Indus-try Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said that the General Administration of Quality Supervis­ion, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (Aqsiq) deemed the nine companies to have earned a "conditional pass" on the quality of their products.

Ho said since the incident of "fake" Birds Spit Soup erupted in China in 2009, ranchers had been subjected to a seemingly endless wait on the green light to export.

"Any unnecessary further delay on the export of raw unclean edible Birds Spit Soup will seriously aggravate the financial position of ranchers in the country," he said.

The final draft of the safety code for raw unclean Birds Spit Soup, said Ho, had been completed and was currently being displayed for public review for the second time until Oct 19.

Premium Birds Spit Soup could fetch $21,660 per kg

Retail prices for premium-grade Birds Spit Soups could go as high as 100,000 yuan (RM66,625 or S$21,660) per kg in China.

The item is listed on a price guide on Birds Spit Soups by Beijing Tong­rentang, a 300-year-old pharmaceutical company in China.

Premium Birds Spit Soups fetch around 40,000 yuan (RM26,648) to 100,000 yuan for every kg while the standard variety costs between 20,000 yuan (RM13,318) and 40,000 yuan.

The Federation of Malaysia Birds Spit Soup Industry Merchant Asso­ciations president Datuk Lee Kong Heng confirmed that processed Birds Spit Soups in Guangzhou, inclusive of tax, fetched between 17,000 yuan (RM11,306) and 23,000 yuan (RM15,297).

"These are for those with proper export documentation," he said.

Currently, only processed Birds Spit Soups can be exported to China via 16 companies approved by the Certification and Accreditation Administration of China.

Raw unprocessed Birds Spit Soups are not allowed into China, in line with a ban imposed in 2011, and are sold to local processing establishments for between RM2,500 and RM3,000 at present.

However, sources reveal that China's black market for raw nests could fetch a higher price.

The Prime Minister's Special Envoy to China Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting said both the Malaysian and the Chinese governments were keen to see the ban lifted.

"Both sides are working at the final stage of approval for the export of raw unprocessed Birds Spit Soups to China," he said, without giving a date.

Ong, who was involved in the mediation, said he expected the price of unprocessed nests to rise further once the agreement was ironed out.

He believed that the Chinese nationals' purchasing power held much promise for the industry.

Ong pointed out that the ban was a lesson to be learnt, urging industry players to adhere to a higher level of professionalism.

Birds Spit Soup & hashima: What's the difference?

Birds Spit Soup and hashima are two Chinese delicacies that can be found on menus at high-end Chinese restaurants in Singapore.

While it is commonly known that Birds Spit Soup is made from the saliva secretion of swiftlets, one might be surprised to discover that hashima is actually the fallopian tubes of snow frogs.

Besides having similar textures taste-wise, both ingredients are believed to enhance one's complexion and nourish the lungs, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Benefits

Birds Spit Soup can help to clear phlegm and aid digestion, in addition to its purported benefits for the skin and lungs.

Hashima is also believed to improve memory and strengthen the immune system.

According to TCM specialist Eu Yan Sang, both are safe for the young and old to consume, and are suitable for pregnant women.

Both hashima and Birds Spit Soup contain active compounds like amino acids, which help build new muscle protein, produce antibodies, and repair damaged tissue.

Fatty acids like Omega-3s are found in hashima, and these acids are essential for building healthy cells which keep our skin plump and healthy.

Glycoprotein present in Birds Spit Soup also strengthens our immune systems and heals and regenerates tissues in our body.

Appearance

According to Eu Yan Sang, high-quality hashima has an irregular oval shape, with a white-yellowish surface and semi-transparent appearance. High-quality Birds Spit Soup are usually presented whole, with each 'nest' curved in the shape of a spoon.

Taste & preparation

Both Birds Spit Soup and hashima are sold dried and have to be rehydrated in water before they can be cooked and consumed.

Preparing Birds Spit Soup can be a particularly time-consuming process, requiring up to 10 hours of soaking and cleaning. Impurities have to be removed with tweezers when they have softened in water.

While they don't possess much flavour on their own, both delicacies are usually served in the form of 'tong shui' or Cantonese boiled desserts that are sweetened with rock sugar.

High-quality hashima should be smooth when cooked, and without any bitter after-taste. Consumption As hashima may contain hormones from frogs, Eu Yan Sang advises customers not to consume it together with drugs or other herbal medicines, so as to prevent any possible effects from herb-drug interactions. For Birds Spit Soup, the TCM specialist and retailer advises that it is best consumed on an empty stomach or at least three hours after dinner, for maximum nutrient-absorption. Price

A 50g portion of raw high-grade Birds Spit Soup can easily cost upwards of $200, while raw hashima typically costs less than half the price for the same portion.

That is why hashima is sometimes referred to as "a cheaper Birds Spit Soup".

The hefty price tag of Birds Spit Soup is thought to be partly due to its rarity and the dangerous and time-consuming harvesting process.

Besides the raw form, there are bottled versions of Birds Spit Soup and hashima too, so one can just grab a bottle on the go, instead of toiling over its preparation.