14 WAYS TO ACCURATELY DISTINGUISH REAL AND FAKE BIRD’S NEST AT HOME

How can you distinguish between real and fake bird’s nest? Is it simple and truly effective? This is likely still a concern for many people today, isn’t it? Understanding customer sentiment, the nutrition experts at Yen Dao Can Gio have curated and accumulated various practical insights to help you identify the most accurate methods for distinguishing genuine and counterfeit bird’s nest. We invite you to explore the detailed guide below!

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN REAL AND FAKE BIRD’S NEST?

Bird’s nest is not only known as a delicious delicacy with a highly nutritious composition, but also as a meaningful and premium gift. Today, the market offers a wide variety of bird’s nest products — from raw nests (unprocessed) to refined nests — meeting diverse consumer needs.

Because the profit margin in this industry is extremely high, many individuals and businesses deliberately produce fake bird’s nest using increasingly sophisticated counterfeiting techniques. This makes it difficult for consumers to differentiate between real and fake products.

Although authorities have continuously conducted inspections and enforcement campaigns to reduce counterfeit products circulating on the market, it remains difficult to completely eliminate this issue.

Therefore, the best solution is to equip yourself with sufficient knowledge on how to distinguish real and fake bird’s nest, so you can choose products of the highest quality.

IDENTIFYING THE ORIGIN OF BIRD’S NEST

Bird’s nest products available on the market come in a wide variety of types and forms. With today’s advanced technology, bird’s nest can be processed into many different product formats. Classifying bird’s nest by its origin is one of the most reliable ways to ensure you purchase products with consistent quality. Packaging usually includes product information, origin, and processing type.

Bird’s nest is commonly divided into two main categories: house-cultivated bird’s nest and natural cave bird’s nest. Compared to cultivated nest harvested from nesting houses, natural island bird’s nest typically has a much higher price due to the dangers involved in harvesting from remote cliffs and caves.

Below are some characteristics to help you differentiate:

NATURAL ISLAND BIRD’S NEST

Natural island bird’s nest usually has a stronger and more distinctive aroma—one of the defining features that house-cultivated bird’s nest cannot fully replicate. Although the flavor is richer, the nutritional value of both types is essentially the same.

Natural bird’s nest is more difficult to clean and process compared to cultivated nest. Due to the hazardous terrain and dangerous harvesting conditions, the market price of natural island bird’s nest remains the highest.

Despite its high nutritional content, this type is generally not recommended for elderly individuals with high blood pressure or for young children. Furthermore, natural bird’s nest requires very careful storage, so consumers must pay close attention to proper handling.

HOUSE-FARMED BIRD’S NEST

Birdhouses are built as enclosed structures that provide a safe environment for swiftlets to settle and build their nests. The harvesting and processing of house-farmed bird’s nest are also much simpler, which is why the final product is typically priced lower than island-harvested bird’s nest.

The nutritional content of farmed bird’s nest remains highly rich and complete. Unlike island bird’s nest, house-farmed nests do not contain mixed minerals, and they also have fewer impurities. Currently, this product type is favored by many customers. House-farmed bird’s nest is suitable for the elderly, children, and even pregnant women.

SIMPLE AND QUICK WAYS TO DISTINGUISH REAL AND FAKE BIRD’S NESTS

Here are some methods to identify real versus fake bird’s nests that you can understand and apply in practice:

DISTINGUISHING REAL AND FAKE BIRD’S NESTS THROUGH BASIC INSPECTION

• Real bird’s nest: Even when left exposed to air for a long time, real bird’s nests do not lose their crispness. When held, they feel fragile and break easily, without any chewiness.

• Fake bird’s nest: Fake nests, often mixed with additives, retain a chewy texture even after being left in the air for a while. They are hard to break and appear more solid.

DISTINGUISH REAL AND FAKE BIRD'S NEST BY TASTING

• Real bird’s nest: The most common and easiest way to check a bird’s nest is by tasting. Simply take one strand and taste it; if it is not overly sweet and has a flavor similar to egg white, it is genuine.
• Fake bird’s nest: Although adding sugar can create a good adhesive to make the nest look attractive and help prevent mold for longer storage, this practice can have long-term negative effects on health. Therefore, if it tastes sweet, it is a sign of low-quality or fake bird’s nest.

CHECK THE SHAPE AND ELASTICITY OF THE BIRD'S NEST

• Real bird’s nest: In addition to the previous methods, you can also check by gently squeezing it. If the nest is crisp and breaks easily, this is a sign that it is genuine.
• Fake bird’s nest: Especially for counterfeit bird’s nests, they tend to be unusually elastic and chewy.

DISTINGUISH REAL AND FAKE BIRD'S NEST BY SOAKING IN WATER

Another fairly simple method to check bird’s nests, widely used, is to soak the nest in clean water for about 30 minutes.

• Real bird’s nest: After soaking, if the fibers maintain their original color without changing, emit the characteristic mild odor like egg whites, and show only a slight natural mold, this is a sign of a genuine bird’s nest.
• Fake bird’s nest: If after 30 minutes the nest dissolves into the water, changes to unusual colors, or emits a strange odor from added substances, it is definitely a fake bird’s nest.

IDENTIFY REAL OR FAKE BIRD'S NEST BY STEAMING

• Real bird’s nest: Since the technology for producing fake bird’s nests is very sophisticated nowadays, the best way to check is to steam the nest for about 15–30 minutes. Similar to soaking in water, if the nest remains intact and does not disintegrate, it is a high-quality product.
• Fake bird’s nest: For fake nests, just 2–3 minutes of steaming will cause the nest to lose its original shape. Additionally, because it is made from starch, the nest will immediately break apart.

USING LUGOL’S SOLUTION TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN REAL AND FAKE BIRD’S NESTS

Lugol’s solution is a specialized product used to determine whether a bird’s nest is real or fake. For this method, use an electric pot to heat the bird’s nest. Then, add a few drops of Lugol’s solution. If the water remains normal with no observable reactions, this indicates the nest is genuine.

If, however, adding Lugol’s solution causes the mixture to immediately turn blue but then revert to its original state when cooled, this is a sign of a fake bird’s nest with poor quality.

BURN TEST TO DISTINGUISH REAL AND FAKE BIRD'S NEST

• Real bird’s nest: Similar to using Lugol’s solution, boil a small amount of the bird’s nest product with water until it reaches a boil, then add a few drops of iodine-containing solution. If the product is genuine, no reaction will occur.
• Fake bird’s nest: Conversely, if the mixture turns blue, this indicates a low-quality or fake product.

DISTINGUISH BIRD'S NEST BY FFIRE TEST

• Real bird’s nest: Simply take a small portion and burn it to see the result immediately. If it burns naturally without producing excessive sparks or ash, it is definitely real.
• Fake bird’s nest: On the other hand, if burning produces a burnt smell, soot, and many sparks, it is a fake product.

DISTINGGUISHING REAL AND FAKE BIRD'S NEST BY COLOR

• Real bird’s nest: Currently, bird’s nest products mainly come in three colors: red, pink, and white, which are easily recognizable. High-quality bird’s nests usually have a translucent ivory color.
• Fake bird’s nest: Low-quality fake bird’s nests often appear more opaque and lack transparency because additional fillers or additives have been added.

DISTINGUISHING REAL AND FAKE BIRD'S NEST BY SMELL AND TEXTURE

• Real bird’s nest: You can also identify real and fake bird’s nests by their appearance. When holding a real nest, it feels light and relatively thick, with strands interwoven to form a curved shape. Looking at the bottom, a yellowish-black color can be seen, which is a sign of authenticity. Additionally, real bird’s nests often have a slightly fishy smell, reminiscent of swiftlet saliva and seawater.
• Fake bird’s nest: In contrast, fake nests are often mixed with sugar and starches, causing the strands to look unnatural. The interwoven strands are tightly packed, appearing more uniform and smoother than real bird’s nests, which can make them look deceptively better.

DISTINGUISHING REAL AND FAKE BIRD'S NEST BY SHELF LIFE

Fake bird’s nests that have been mixed with additives can become moldy and change color after just 3–6 months. They often turn yellow—a condition experienced professionals refer to as “yến lên con đường.” In worse cases, fake bird’s nests may even turn black due to mold caused by weather conditions. This happens because their weight was artificially increased by injecting a lot of water. When held, if the nest feels soft and pliable and does not break when squeezed, it is a sign of low-quality bird’s nest.

HOW TO IDENTIFY FAKE BIRD'S NEST USING GREEN TEA OR TEA WATER

For high-value bird’s nest products that are often counterfeited, there are two ways to distinguish them using tea:

• Method 1: Dip a small amount of bird’s nest into tea water (or green tea). If the nest turns dark black, it is a fake product dyed with iron oxide.
• Method 2: Soak the bird’s nest in water. Fake nests dyed with artificial coloring will lose their color and dissolve in water. In contrast, real bird’s nests will not fade or lose color.

HOW TO IDENTIFY FAKE BIRD'S NETS USING SUNLIGHT

• Real bird’s nest: When holding a real bird’s nest under sunlight, you will see light passing through each strand, and the strands will appear milky white.
• Fake bird’s nest: When exposed to light, the strands of fake nests may reflect light unnaturally and appear transparent white, making them easy to detect.

HOW TO IDENTIFY BIRD'S NEST CONTAINING SUGAR OR FILLERS

• Bird’s nest with added sugar: For nests that contain sugar, you will notice a sweet taste on the tip of your tongue. To distinguish whether a nest has added sugar, simply take a small strand and taste it — if you detect sweetness, it means sugar has been added. The sweeter the strand tastes, the lower the quality of the product.
• Bird’s nest with fillers: Each type of filler used in fake bird’s nest can be identified in different ways. Aside from sugar, other additives such as water, refined salt, egg whites, cooking oil, snow fungus, or shark fin are commonly used to create fake nest textures. Therefore, you should be extremely cautious when purchasing bird’s nest products.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON COMMONG TYPES OF FAKE BIRD'S NEST YOU SHOULD KNOW

Below are several types of counterfeit bird’s nest products that authorities have discovered widely circulating on the market today, often labeled as authentic bird’s nest to attract and gain customers’ trust.

FAKE BIRD'S NEST MADE FROM SEAWEED

This is one of the most common types of fake bird’s nest currently found on the market, primarily made from seaweed. Although it has existed for a long time, this type of counterfeit product is still widely sold in many stores and online platforms, deceiving consumers.

When tasted, fake bird’s nests made from seaweed have a slightly salty flavor typical of seaweed fibers. When steamed, the coarse and larger seaweed strands become even more noticeable compared to real bird’s nest fibers. When held, the nest feels soft, smooth, and firm in the hand, lacking the natural roughness that authentic bird’s nest usually has.

FAKE BIRD'S NEST MADE FROM AGAR

Similar to fake bird’s nest made from seaweed, counterfeit products created using agar are also widely used by many sellers to deceive consumers.

When steamed, agar-based fake bird’s nests expand into visually appealing strands. However, after being left overnight, these strands gradually break apart and dissolve in water. In addition, upon closer observation, you will notice that the bowl of water becomes cloudy, lacking the smoothness and clarity that real bird’s nest maintains when soaked.

FAKE BIRD'S NEST MADE FROM PORK SKIN GELATIN

Today, many sellers are able to easily deceive consumers with counterfeit bird’s nest products made from pork skin gelatin. When steamed, the gelatin-based fake strands still expand, and at first glance may appear quite similar to real bird’s nest. However, they lack the smooth texture of authentic nests and may even feel firmer or more rubbery.

Notably, for this type of fake bird’s nest, buyers are often advised to soak it for a much longer time than real bird’s nest—sometimes up to 4 hours.

ARTIFICIALLY LABELED "NATURAL ISLAND BIRD'S NEST"

Many consumers believe that natural island bird’s nest offers higher quality and greater nutritional value compared to home-farmed bird’s nest. Because of this perception, a number of products have been “disguised” or falsely marketed as natural island bird’s nest simply by changing their packaging. Naturally, customers end up paying a much higher price for these falsely labeled products compared to regular home-farmed nests.

To avoid this issue, when purchasing island bird’s nest, you should check whether it has the distinctive mild aroma typical of genuine island nests. Additionally, cleaning natural island bird’s nest is usually more difficult than cleaning home-farmed bird’s nest.

REFINES AND WHITENED BIRD'S NEST

Many bird’s nest suppliers use chemicals to bleach the nests and sometimes apply egg whites on the surface to create a strong fishy smell. Chemical bleaching removes the nest’s natural aroma, so this method is mainly used to deceive buyers. When purchasing bird’s nest, if you notice a strong egg-like odor, you should be cautious.

ADULTERATED BIRD'S NEST

Many sellers, aiming to increase their profit, add various additives such as salt, sugar, vermicelli strands, shark fin, mushrooms, or vegetables to bird’s nests in order to increase their weight.

Additionally, a more sophisticated method involves mixing in lower-quality bird’s nest imported from Malaysia. Currently, around 70% of bird’s nest products on the market are imported and of very low quality.

We are constantly striving to improve the technology, breeding, and processing methods of bird’s nest to ensure the finest quality in our products, satisfying our valued customers. Yen Dao Can Gio is proud to provide the best bird’s nest products, helping to maintain and enhance consumers’ health. This is also the primary goal we aim to achieve in this field.

The above article provides a detailed guide on how to distinguish real and fake bird’s nests. We hope it serves as a valuable resource to help you choose the best products for your family.