Fake Edible Bird Nest soup ingredient in smuggler's boat

Customs officials have seized a motorboat laden with onions, tiny marble Buddha images and tree gum used to make bogus Edible Bird Nest soup - all smuggled across the Moei river from Myanmar.

Wallop Wutthaphanich, chief of the customs checkpoint in Mae Sot district, said on Tuesday the boat held 540 kilogrammes of tree gum, 90 bags of onions and 156 Buddha figurines.

The confiscated goods had a combined value of more than 1 million baht, he said.

The boat was found at a makeshift wharf on the side of the Moei River at Moo 3 village of tambon Tha Sai Luat in Mae Sot district on Monday, he said.

The driver of the boat, believed to be a Myanmar national, jumped into the water and swam back to the other side when he spotted Thai authorities approaching, said Mr Wallop.

He said the tree gum was of the kind used in preparing fake Edible Bird Nest soup and was often sold illegally at border markets.

Confinement tradition: Taking Edible Bird Nest

Is it a good idea to take Edible Bird Nest during confinement and while you’re nursing? You may have heard many differing things about this. Some mums swear by Edible Bird Nest for its ability to rejuvenate and energize them during confinement. Others feel that it is not suitable for confinement for a variety of reasons.

What is Edible Bird Nest?

Edible Bird Nest soup is a traditional Chinese delicacy first cultivated and eaten by royalty during the Tang Dynasty. It is made from the white gelatinous strands from a swallow’s nest, produced from the swallow’s saliva to bond the nest together, which are thought to be full of nutrients.
Edible Bird Nest is harvested from the swallows’ natural habitat in deep caves and high places, although many now farm swiftlets commercially for this purpose. After collection, the nest has to be cleaned by soaking and thorough cleaning to remove leaves, twigs, feathers and dirt before it can be cooked and consumed.

Fake Edible Bird Nest soup ingredient in smuggler's boat

What are the supposed benefits of Edible Bird Nest?

Edible Bird Nest is renowned for its anti-aging ability and its immunity benefits. Women swear by its ability to help them retain youthfulness, skin moisture, elasticity and a wrinkle-free complexion. In addition, they claim that Edible Bird Nest helps their bodies rejuvenate more quickly and slim downback to their original figures.
Drinking it not only improves Mum’s complexion, which is great for banishing that pregnancy acne, but also gives baby a smooth and white complexion through nursing. It is apparently also thought to improve appetite and digestion in babies and young children. There seems to be some truth to at least some of these claims as studies into Edible Bird Nest has found that it is rich in antioxidants, collagen and amino acids.

Why avoid Edible Bird Nest then?

You may be surprised to hear that not everyone advocates drinking Edible Bird Nest during pregnancy, confinement and nursing. Some feel that eating too much Edible Bird Nest can be too cooling for the body when one should eat heaty foods instead. It is thought that too much cooling results in the baby developing asthma later on.
Edible Bird Nest has also been known to trigger allergies. Some mums have discovered that eating a lot of Edible Bird Nest while pregnant or nursing actually resulted in their children developing allergies to Edible Bird Nest.
But the biggest reason to be wary of Edible Bird Nest is where the majority of Edible Bird Nest comes from today. Most commercially sold Edible Bird Nest today is inferior quality nest cleaned chemically and bleached for the “clean and white” look. Some are outright fakes made to look like Edible Bird Nest. You don’t want to consume these chemical-laden products or feed them to your child.

What brands of Edible Bird Nest are reliable?

Commercially bottled Edible Bird Nest are popular among Singaporeans and frequently given to new mums as gifts. Known brands are generally trusted to use genuine Edible Bird Nest and safe manufacturing processes. Bottled Edible Bird Nest also requires no brewing and is convenient to consume.
However, that said, most people consider bottled Edible Bird Nest inferior to homemade Edible Bird Nest brewed from the nest itself, sourced from independent vendors who sell Edible Bird Nests farmed in neighbouring countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Those wishing to buy their own Edible Bird Nests however should study with someone experienced how to choose quality Edible Bird Nest from look, touch and smell.
All in all, don’t consume Edible Bird Nest just because someone says it’s good, but do your own research first on whether you’re comfortable with it.