EBN Processing

EBN Processing in Sarawak

Code of Veterinary Practice Good Manufacturing Practice for Raw-Unclean Edible-Birdnest (EBN)

This Code of Veterinary Practice (CoVP) prescribes GMP and requirements of raw-unclean EBN harvested from caves or ranches in the production of quality and safe raw-unclean EBN which may include but not limiting to sorting, pre-cleaning, drying, weighing, packing and labelling activities; specification of raw-unclean EBN which determines the quality, physical, and grading requirement of raw-unclean EBN.

EBN Processing Plant to meet CNCA requirement

Recent audit by CNCA to 15 processing plant in Sarawak has improved the industry further into producing best quality EBN product.

Best Quality EBN Products from Malaysia

Malaysian quality bird's nest product with emphasize on food safety and traceability   . 

Malaysia Records Sales Of RM158.24 Million At Caexpo 2013

By Niam Seet Wei

NANNING (China), Sept 6 (Bernama) -- Malaysia posted a total sales of RM158.24 million at the 10th China-ASEAN Expo 2013 (CAEXPO), up 12 per cent year-on-year, said Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (MATRADE) trade commssioner for Guangzhou, Suresh Kumar.

He said health and wellness sector recorded the highest sales of RM83.21 million, followed by food & beverage (RM34.96 million), services (RM 24.93 million), franchise (RM 5.5 millon), green technology (RM3.88 million) and lifestyle, including jewelleries and garments (RM2.03 million).

"The bird's nest products recorded the highest sales of about RM70 million, followed by property (RM19 million), natural oil (RM8 million), coffee franchise (RM3.5 million) and spices (RM3 million)," he said.

Suresh said this at a media briefing after the close of the CAEXPO 2013 in Nanning, Friday.

He said CAEXPO 2013, from Sept 3-6, attracted a total of 72 international buyers from ASEAN countries and Australia, up nine per cent compared to previous year.

It attracted a total of 450 Malaysian businessmen from 138 companies.

--BERNAMA

Current Issues and Challenges in Edible Birdnest Industry

Malaysian academicians are working hard to address the current issues and challenges in edible birdnest industry. EBN is the most highly priced commodity in the world

Seminar On Standards For Edible Birdnest Industry In Borneo

Standards for Edible Birdnest Industry" akan dianjurkan oleh Jabatan Standard Malaysia (STANDARDS MALAYSIA) di:

Hilton Hotel, Kuching, Sarawak pada
4 Disember 2012 (Selasa)

dan

Hotel Pacific Sutera, Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah pada
6 Disember 2012 (Khamis)

Bersama-sama ini disertakan brosur dan surat jemputan seminar untuk perhatian dan tindakan pihak Y Bhg. Tan Sri /Datuk /Dato'/ Tuan/ Puan seterusnya. Kerjasama tuan/puan adalah dipohon untuk memanjangkan maklumat ini kepada pihak yang berkaitan.

Kehadiran dan kerjasama Y Bhg. Tan Sri /Datuk /Dato'/ Tuan/ Puan adalah amat dihargai dan didahului dengan ucapan terima kasih.

SEMINAR ON MALAYSIAN STANDARDS FOR EDIBLE BIRDNEST INDUSTRY

DATE: 4 DECEMBER 2012 (TUESDAY)
VENUE: HILTON HOTEL, KUCHING, SARAWAK

and

DATE: 6 DECEMBER 2012 (THURSDAY)
VENUE: PACIFIC SUTERA HOTEL, SUTERA HARBOUR, KOTA KINABALU, SABAH


INTRODUCTION
The birdnest industry is worth multi million dollars in Asia. Malaysia alone exports about ten tonnes of what is considered the finest bird nests in the market, in comparisons to rival exporters from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia and the Philippines. However, with the tighter control imposed by exporting countries, China in particular, the Malaysian edible-birdnest industry must be fully equipped with the vital knowledge that could assist them in overcoming the resulting barriers that could arise during exports.

Realising the economic importance of Edible-Birdnest, Department of Standards Malaysia (STANDARDS MALAYSIA) had published a number of Malaysian Standards (MS) for Edible-Birdnest industry.

The Technical Committee on Edible-Birdnest (EBN) Swiftlet Ranching which developed the Malaysian Standards referred to in this seminar was established within the National Standards Development Systems under the purview of STANDARDS MALAYSIA, a government agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI).

OBJECTIVES
To get an update on the latest development for edible-birdnest and swiftlet ranching;
To gain knowledge on Malaysian standards and their applications in swiftlet ranching and EBN processing;
To know the minimum requirements for EBN industry;
To know the export and import requirements for EBN;
To increase awareness on the importance of GAHP in swiftlet ranching & GMP in processing EBN and the benefits of such practices; and
To share experience and promote better understanding of the respective requirements and establish networking for EBN industry in Malaysia.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Producers
Importers/Exporters
Government Officers
Retailers
Consumers
Traders


PAPER PRESENTATIONS
Good Animal Husbandry Practice - Edible-birdnest Swiftlet Ranching and Its Premises including Cave Edible-nest (MS 2273 & MS 2503)
Dr. Fadzilah A'ini binti Abdul Kadir (Chairman of Working Group on Edible-Birdnest Swiftlet Ranching), Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries

Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for Processing Raw-unclean and Raw-clean Edible-birdnest, DVS & MOH Perspectives
Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries & Ministry of Health Malaysia

Edible-birdnest – Specification and Test method for Nitrites (MS 2509)
Pn Hajah Azizon Abdullah, Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries

Export and Import Requirements for Edible-birdnest
Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries

Industry Experience on Swiftlet Ranching & Processing of Edible-birdnest
Persekutuan Persatuan Pedagang Sarang Burung Malaysia


FEE & SEMINAR PACKAGES
The seminar packages offered are as below. All packages are inclusive of seminar materials, refreshments and certificate.

Package A (RM270) – Participants are entitled to ALL five MS on Edible-birdnest as follows:
1. MS 2273:2012 - Good Animal Husbandry Practice - Edible-birdnest
swiftlet ranching and its premises
2. MS 2333:2010 - Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for processing
raw-unclean and raw-clean edible-birdnest (EBN)
3. MS 2334:2011 - Edible-Birdnest (EBN) - Specification
4. MS 2503:2012 - Good animal husbandry practice - Cave edible-nest
swiftlet ranching
5. MS 2509:2012 - Test method for nitrites in Edible-birdnest (EBN)

Package B (RM250) – Participants are entitled to four MS on Edible-birdnest as follows:
1. MS 2273:2012 - Good Animal Husbandry Practice - Edible-birdnest
swiftlet ranching and its premises
2. MS 2333:2010 - Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for processing
raw-unclean and raw-clean edible-birdnest (EBN)
3. MS 2334:2011 - Edible-Birdnest (EBN) - Specification
4. MS 2509:2012 - Test method for nitrites in Edible-birdnest (EBN)

Package C (RM250) – Participants are entitled to four MS on Edible-birdnest as follows:
1. MS 2333:2010 - Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for processing
raw-unclean and raw-clean edible-birdnest (EBN)
2. MS 2334:2011 - Edible-Birdnest (EBN) - Specification
3. MS 2503:2012 - Good animal husbandry practice - Cave edible-nest
swiftlet ranching
4. MS 2509:2012 - Test method for nitrites in Edible-birdnest (EBN)

Package D (RM160) – Participants are entitled to two MS on Edible-birdnest as follows:
1. MS 2503:2012 - Good animal husbandry practice - Cave edible-nest
swiftlet ranching
2. MS 2509:2012 - Test method for nitrites in Edible-birdnest (EBN)


PAYMENT METHODS
All payments to be made payable to SIRIM Berhad either by cheque, Bank Draft or Cash Deposit. Please mail payment with registration form to:

SIRIM Berhad
Standards Research and Management Centre (SRMC)
Block 3, Level 1
No. 1, Persiaran Dato' Menteri
P.O. Box 7035, Section 2
40700 Shah Alam, Selangor
Attn: Ms Nor Ashikin Jamingan

Payment via Cash Deposit can be made payable to:

SIRIM Berhad
Account No: 1205-1307404-05-6
Bank: CIMB Bank Berhad

REGISTRATION
Registration is on first-come first-served basis and limited to 150 seats.
Registration can be done online at:
http://onlineregistration.sirim.my

Alternatively, registrant may also fill up the registration form in the attached brochure and submit nomination of participants via facsimile or email to:

En Ahmad Fuad Taqiuddin Saleh / Pn Nor Ashikin Jamingan
Tel: 03-5544 5114
Fax: 03-5510 6389
Email: afuad@sirim.my / asikhin@sirim.my

Confirmation of reservation will be sent via email.
SIRIM Berhad reserves the right to make any amendment that is deems to be in the interest of the conference without any notice.

CONTACT PERSON
Registration:
Ms Nor Ashikin Jamingan/
Mr Ahmad Fuad Taquiddin Saleh
Tel: 03-5544 5114/03-5544 5108
Fax: 03-5510 6389
Email:asikhin@sirim.my/ afuad@sirim.my

Details/Others:
Ms Siti Faizah Roslaini Othman
Tel: 03-5544 6335
Fax: 03-5510 6389
Email: roslaini@sirim.my

OTHERS
Malaysian Standards (MS) on Edible birdnest, as well as many other standards, local international and foreign standards are available for your purchase. For further information, please contact our officer:

Pn. Noor Rauna Hj Ahmad Maher – 03 5544 6118(DID); Email:rauna@sirim.my

How To Set Up Birdnest Processing Plant

Here are the tips on how set up birdnest processing plant
1. Get site approval from council eg Commercial area
2. Register the business/ trading licence
3. Apply processing plant licence (Sarawak)
4. Register with Department Of Veterinary Service
5. Construct the factory according to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
6. Apply for food safety certification from any certification body such as Moody International, SGS, SIRIM, DVS or MOH.
7. Finally get your plant accredited under Veterinary Health Mark (VHM). Download the form from google seach.

Good luck

Processing Of Cave Edible Birds’ Nests In Sarawak

By AIDA AHMAD
sundaymetro@thestar.com.my

From source to the pot, birds’ nests take a lot of painstaking and careful effort to produce.

SWIFLET nests which are harvested from caves are naturally nourished with iron and minerals. For those who have a gastronomic liking for birds’ nest, this piece of information may be of interest.

The reddish and yellowish tinge found in birds’ nests is actually a mark of authenticity, according to Dr Charles Leh, zoologist and curator of Natural History at the Sarawak Museum.

“When the nests come in contact with the cave walls they absorb the minerals and this is what makes them red. The cave walls and stones which are enriched with mineral elements such as iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium give the nests their colour,” Dr Leh says.

Quality control: Wong (left) and Richard are dedicated towards producing good quality birds’ nests

Last year, there was some uproar about the quality of birds’ nest, during which some processing factories in the country were taken to task for allegedly using dangerous carcinogenic chemicals to give the nests their reddish colour.

Confusion also arose as to which sort of birds’ nest was the real McCoy – the white or red/yellow ones.

“House nests have no mineral elements, therefore they should be white or have a light yellow hue, but never red unless the house was built with rock,” explains Dr Leh.

“This should be an indication of the authenticity of birds’ nests. If a consumer comes across a red house nest, they should know that it is fake.”

The finished product.

Birds’ nests refer to the saliva of a group of small birds known as edible-nests swiftlets. These thumb-sized birds weigh less than 5g. During the breeding season, which takes 45 days, each pair can produce a full nest of saliva, weighing as much as their own body weight.

The saliva is produced from a pair of glands located beneath the bird’s tongue. Both the male and female have a pair of these sublingual glands and contribute towards nest building.

The tri-colour Hua Yan birds’ nest (which contains red, yellow and white nest strands), trademarked by healthcare company and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) specialist Eu Yan Sang (1959) Sdn Bhd, is considered to be among the top-of-the-line birds’ nest product in the market.

Hua Yan birds’ nest is promoted as having a host of health benefits “such as 16 amino acids, five carbohydrates including EGF, MSF and sialic acid, and minerals”.

The raw cave nests with their reddish base.

Strict quality control goes into ensuring that the natural nutrients of each Hua Yan birds’ nest is retained before it is put on the shelf.

“The key is finding a supplier who processes birds’ nest the correct way without any chemical bleaching and in the end provides consumers the highest grade of birds’ nest. The craft of processing the nests is actually a key issue as it determines how much of the natural nutrients of the nests are retained after processing,” says Eu Yan Sang general manager Wong Kah Cane.

Kuching, Sarawak, is said to be the major processing centre for birds’ nests. For Eu Yan Sang, the main supplier is Double Swallow Enterprise, a processing factory located in Tapah, a small town about 40 minutes’ drive from Kuching.

Double Swallow Enterprise is owned by the Eng family, namely patriarch Eng Cheng Teng, 68, and his son, Richard. The 1,673sq m processing factory is where skilled workers from the nearby village work for hours to clean the raw birds’ nests, which are harvested from the caves in April, August and December.

“The nests are collected from the Niah and Gomantong caves by the locals. During the harvesting season, we will go there to inspect the quality of the raw nests. We bring back an average of half a tonne per trip. Birds’ nests are worth their weight in gold and there have been some instances in which people were robbed after they collected the nests from the caves,” reveals Richard.

The nests are soaked to soften them.

In Kuching, the nests are left to age for about a year to, according to Richard, “strengthen their molecules”.

“During the first collection, each nest should have a reddish base colour with black feathers sticking to it. The amount of feathers also depends on the seasons. The fewer the feathers, the thicker the nest, which is why it is important to collect nests during the right season. 

The rainy season is best because the birds retain most of their feathers, thus leaving less on the nests. Because of the presence of minerals from the cave walls, the nests will change colour after five or six months,” he says.

The Eng family business has been around for 50 years and was started by Richard’s grandmother, Chew Siew Lan.

“She started the business in Kuching. At that time, the raw nests cost RM200 per kg. Now it is RM2,000 per kg. Currently I help my parents run the business with the help of my nieces and nephews. I also learn a lot about the birds’ nest business from Dr Leh as we often visit the caves together,” says Richard.

The labour that goes into cleaning each nest to make sure it is pure and fit for consumers is intensive. “Of course, it is cheaper and faster to clean them using chemical bleaches but then all the nutrients and proteins would be lost or destroyed. We make sure that our supplier does not use any bleach whatsoever. There is no machinery used and everything is done by hand,” says Wong.

Each strand is assembled in a mould.
 

Processing raw nests

The nests are first soaked in hot water for 15 minutes to make them softer and to allow them to expand. The trick is not to soak them for too long.

There are 70 to 90 strands per nest. “The value drops if they fall apart so it is important to have good hand skills when working with them,” says Richard.

Next is the tedious process of removing the feathers from the nests. The workers painstakingly do this with sharp tweezers.

“They don’t use gloves to avoid cross-contamination. This is in line with the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards. Depending on the worker’s skills, each of them ideally needs to clean 1kg of nests per day.”

The nests are hung to dry for two to three hours (depending on the quantity) in a cloth sack to remove excess moisture. They are then kept in a cold room to prevent bacterial contamination. “We don’t re-soak and the temperature has to be perfect so that the nest won’t freeze and spoil,” says Richard.

After this, there is one more round of cleaning to remove any remaining dirt and feathers. “There are no machines involved here. We make sure the staff has good eyesight to pick up the tiniest particles. This is how we take extra precautions to ensure the end product is clean. All the work is done on stainless steel tables so there is no contamination.”

The next round of processing is done in an air-conditioned part of the factory. Before they enter this area, workers stand in a narrow corridor for 30 seconds in front of a blower (to rid themselves of dust) before they each don shoes, gloves, a vest and a hairnet. Such procedure conforms to the GMP standards.

Their work is to arrange the clean, luminous strands of nests into moulds. Thicker strands are placed on the bottom, followed by thin ones on the sides. The worker has to ensure that the strands do not break and to throw away the bad ones.

“Many of our customers complain when they see broken strands in the package. The average weight of each piece is controlled by the size of the mould,” says Wong.

Tedious process: Removing the feathers from a nest is a painstaking process.
 

Next, the mould is removed and the nests are placed on a steel tray with a wire mesh for another process of drying. This is done in a temperature-controlled drying room where the air movement is also controlled. After a few hours, the nests are packed in plastic boxes and shipped to Eu Yan Sang where they are re-packed with the company’s packaging.

“At Eu Yan Sang, we sell the birds’ nests according to pieces instead of weight because after some time, they become lighter. At that point they can easily break and must be handled with care. This is why we trust and maintain a good relationship with the Eng family as our supplier because we know how they operate,” Wong says.

Eu Yan Sang was founded in 1879 by Eu Kong, a migrant Chinese from Foshan, Guandong. It started in Gopeng, when Eu Kong noticed that the local tin miners widely used opium as a means to ease their daily pains and ill-health. He began to dispense Chinese herbal remedies as substitute to opium. This set the stage for the Eu Yan Sang story. “Yan” in Chinese means benevolent, kind or humane. “Sang” is birth, life or livelihood. Together, it means “Caring for Mankind”.

Tips on cooking birds’ nest

BIRDS nest is best boiled and consumed with simple rock sugar.

1.  Dip the nest in water for at least 10 minutes to remove any dust on the surface. For the Hua Yan nest, it is best to soak it for at least two hours. The red-coloured nest should be soaked overnight. When ready, the nest should be fully expanded and soft to the touch. If it’s possible, use filtered or cool boiled water for soaking the nest.

2. Do not throw out the water used to soak the nests. Pour it into a double-boiler pot with the nest and cook for two-and-a-half to three hours. Then add rock sugar according to your personal taste. (For home nests, boiling should not exceed 40 minutes, otherwise the nest will completely dissolve.)

The use of a double-boil pot is to avoid direct heating and a piece of cloth should always be placed beneath the top pot. Using boiled water and steam to “cook” the bird’s nest ensures that heat is regulated (less than 100°C) to preserve the nutritional goodness of the nests.

3. Turn off the heat. Do not open the lid yet. Let the contents cool for 30 minutes. The liquid should be smooth and clear

1kg bird’s nest limit for tourists

Tuesday January 17, 2012

By NURHIDAYAH RAMLI
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Tourists to Malaysia are now only allowed to take home a maximum 1kg of bird's nest.

“This is to ensure that no smuggling of this expensive commodity takes place,” Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar. He also announced that local companies would require three certificates to export edible bird's nest products to China.

The certificates are from the Veterinary Services Department, the Health Ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Precious commodity: Noh (third from right) listening to assistant chemist Cassie Lee’s briefing on the commodity during a visit to PT Swift Marketing in Puchong yesterday. — Bernama

“After a company receives all three certificates, it will be allowed to use the 1Malaysia Best' logo and can export to China,'' Noh told reporters after launching the first authentic edible bird's nest trade and depository centre by PT Swift Marketing Sdn Bhd in Puchong yesterday.

He said the Government would not be held responsible for products without the “1Malaysia Best” logo.

Noh said previously only a Veterinary Services Department certificate was needed but due to the decline in quality, additional requirements had been added. He added that only eight companies had acquired the certificates so far.

Noh said the new rules were necessary because of concerns expressed by the Chinese government on excessive nitrite in bird's nests from Malaysia. “The two governments are discussing to determine the acceptable nitrite content. “It is impossible to get bird's nest with zero nitrite content but we hope to announce the figure soon,” he said.

Swift action on bird’s nest issue

MADE IN CHINA
By CHOW HOW BAN

The health and agriculture and agro-based industry ministries are working with their Chinese counterparts on getting bird’s nest exports to China moving again.

WITHIN a week, delegations from two ministries were in China on a mission to settle the Malaysian bird’s nest issue.Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar led his senior officials on a visit to the China General Administration of Quality Super­vision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) during their official trip to Beijing on Nov 1-3.

The ministry and AQSIQ, which is responsible for inspection of imported and exported goods, agreed to set up a working committee on the procedural and administrative problems of the Malaysian swiflet industry. On Tuesday, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai met his counterpart Chen Zhu, and their meeting turned out well, with some very positive developments.

First, China acknowledged nitrite was present in its natural form in Malaysian bird’s nest. Secondly, the Chinese government said it would allow the sale of bird’s nest imported from Malaysia again if these meet the new nitrite standards.

The Malaysian and Chinese health ministries formed a committee comprising food specialists and experts to determine the permissible level of nitrite in the product. The team will work around the clock to set the new standards. Nitrite is a toxic substance that may lead to chronic poisoning.

The positive thing coming out from these two ministerial meetings is that Malaysia showed it wants to resolve the issue as soon as possible and the Chinese side understood the urgency of the matter. The swift actions by both governments came after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak highlighted the issue to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Oct 21 on the sidelines of the China-Asean Expo in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

The directives from the top all the way down in both governments and the quick reaction and coordination that followed, again showed the solid trust and bilateral ties between the two nations. Malaysia cannot afford to wait any longer to resume its exports of bird’s nest to China. After all, the country is Malaysia’s largest market with total exported volume of 100 tonnes last year and 20 tonnes this year before the industry was hit by the fake bird’s nest episode.

In July, a local watchdog in Zhejiang province announced that majority samples from some 30,000 cups of bird’s nest contained nitrite levels above China’s health standards and fingered bird’s nest imports from Malaysia.

Following media reports on the so-called blood bird’s nest where high levels of nitrite had been detected, many Chinese consumers shunned bird’s nest. After the State Administration for Industry and Commerce issued a notice in August to local authorities to beef up inspection on bird’s nest to ensure food safety, most bird’s nest products were removed from the shelves.“Currently, the nitrite level permitted by the Chinese authorities is very low and the majority of Malaysian exporters are not able to meet the requirement,” Liow said. “The officials from the Chinese health ministry showed keen interest in addressing the problem.

“They accepted our explanation why there is natural development of nitrite during the raising of swiflets.

“While natural nitrite is allowed, we agree that there should be no nitrite addictive in the production of our bird’s nest. “We will now race against time to come out with new nitrite standards.”

Noh said once the standard was determined, his ministry would ensure all bird’s nest exporters registered with the ministry adhere to the new nitrite requirement. “The Health Ministry is looking into the food safety of bird’s nest exported to China while my ministry is tasked with certifying qualified bird’s nest producers and ensuring that all production procedures are fulfilled before the products are exported,” he said.

“We will also work with the Customs Department to beef up enforcement at airports to stop illegal exports of bird’s nest to China.”

Chinese statistics showed 500 tonnes of bird’s nest imports, much higher than the export figure of 100 tonnes reported by Malaysian authorities. This was because many exports went unaccounted for at exit points in Malaysia and were smuggled into China through Hong Kong as the mainland imposed a higher tariff. Unscrupulous processers add red dye and sell it as blood nest, which can fetch a higher price.

According to Federation of Malaysia Bird Nest Associations president Datuk Paduka Beh Heng Seong, there were some bad apples in the industry who sold bird’s nest to third parties for reproduction and repackaging.

In the wake of the import ban by China, the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry have directed industry players to implement the Good Animal Husbandry Practice and Good Manufacturing Practice standards under the guidelines for the development of the swiflet industry.

All the 56,000 producers and exporters must register with the Veterinary Services Department, which will establish a track-and-trace system to facilitate the movement of raw bird’s nest across the supply chain.

The ministry said it would share information on the export of bird’s nest with AQSIQ while making efforts to harmonise the standards for laboratory tests with its Chinese counterpart. Judging by the urgency of all parties, the target of having the new nitrite guideline ready and the import ban lifted before Chinese New Year should not be too far from reality.

Set aside for bird nest farming

KOTA MARUDU: Kota Marudu and Pitas will be the cluster areas for development of swiftlet bird’s nest farming for northern Sabah, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili.

Ongkili, who is also Kota Marudu MP, said the bird’s nest farming would be implemented in the two districts aggressively as a major economic contributor for Kota Marudu and Pitas.

He added that the Veterinary Service Department in its detailed observation and study had also identified Kota Marudu and its neighbouring Pitas as the best places in northern Sabah for the swiftlet farming activity.

Farm on top: A filepic of a structure used for swiftlet farming at the outskirts of Kota Kinabalu.
“This is due to the availability of water bodies and forests which provide feed that attracts a large population of birds. “The development of swiftlet farming clusters is being finalised by Pemandu as an NKEA project under Sedia (Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority) for community development,” he said after chairing the Parliamentary Agriculture Development Council meeting, here on Tuesday.

In the Kota Marudu district, 30 swiftlet hostels have been developed for commercial purposes while 43 projects had been carried out under the e-Kasih list of hardcore poor to generate income for poor rural folks.

A filepic of the interior of a swiftlet farmhouse.

In Pitas, 17 projects under the e-Kasih initiative are being carried out with each participant given an allocation of RM10,000, while 20 commercial swiftlet hostels have also been built.

“Many of the swiflet hostels in Kota Marudu have already produced the edible bird’s nest,” Dr Ongkili said, adding that the bird’s nest farming activity would offer income enhancement for the lower income group.
He has also received many inquiries from interested investors from Peninsular Malaysia and as far as Guandong, China who were keen to undertake swiftlet farming in Kota Marudu for commercial purposes.
A seminar on swiftlet farming would also be held next month to promote the activity to interested rural folks in Kota Marudu.

Later, Ongkili presented monetary aid to 13 families who lost or suffered damages to their homes during the floods that occurred in the district this year. Each of them received between RM1,000 to RM3,000 in aid which were allocated by the National Security Council — Bernama.

China to lift ban on Malaysian bird’s nest products

By CHOW HOW BAN
hbchow@thestar.com.my

BEIJING: China recognises the presence of natural nitrite in bird's nest and will lift the import ban on the products from Malaysia after determining a permissible level, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.

He said the Chinese authorities understood that the presence of nitrite was a natural occurrence when swiflets were raised.

“We reached a very important consensus today after we explained to them why there is natural nitrite in our bird's nest.

“We agreed that there should be no nitrite additive in Malaysian bird's nest exports to China during the production process.

“But the Chinese authorities will allow the presence of natural nitrite in the product,” he said after meeting Chinese health officials here yesterday.

Liow said both sides had set up a working committee comprising food specialists and experts with immediate effect, to determine the permissible level of nitrite in bird's nest products.

The committee will be headed by the ministry's food safety and quality division senior director Noraini Mohd Othman and two Chinese officials from relevant agencies.

“The committee started work today and Noraini will stay in China to discuss how we will work out the details and the timetable for nitrite standards,” Liow added.

He had led a delegation of officials and bird's nest exporters to China to discuss the issue with the Chinese authorities following reports of fake Malaysian bird's nest.

Federation of Malaysia Bird's Nest Associations president Datuk Paduka Beh Heng Seong said Malaysian bird's nest exporters would adhere to the nitrite standards as long as the permissible level was reasonable.

“We have assured the Chinese authorities that we will further improve the quality of our products and restore Chinese consumers' confidence in Malaysian bird's nest,” he said.

Ministry to set nitrate level in bird's nest next month

PUTRAJAYA (Bernama): The nitrate level in swiftlet bird's nest will be set next month to ensure that the product can be exported overseas, especially to China, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

"Although we already have a standard, this will be a more comprehensive as it includes nitrate content of bird's nest from caves, houses and others.

"We will set the level and notify the Chinese soon," he told reporters after talks with bird's nest producers at his office Thursday. Confusion arose after the Chinese government announced that bird's nest from Malaysia contained high nitrate level harmful to health.

They decided that Malaysian bird's nest could only be exported to China if the nitrate content was zero.

Liow said the people were confused over nitrate content in bird's nest fearing it was harmful while nitrate was also contained in meat products.

"With permissible nitrate level, we are sure that it is safe. But if it (nitrate) is over the level, we will stop the sale of bird'snest," he added.

After the nitrate level has been set, guidelines will be submitted to Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry for enforcement purposes. - BERNAMA

Allow bird’s nest in for now, China urged

KUALA LUMPUR: China should allow Malaysian bird’s nests to enter the country while a minimum nitrite content is determined here, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

He told a press conference yesterday that the ministry had written to its counterpart to allow for a grace period as many exporters could not meet the zero nitrite level requirement used by China’s port authorities.

“We are waiting for their reply at the moment,” he said, adding that the requirement went “against natural environment conditions” as bird faeces caused a certain percentage to be present in the nests.

“We have explained this to China’s Health Ministry and we are willing to work together. We are also working with the bird’s nest industry to determine the minimum nitrite content.”

Bird’s nest scare has not spoilt China’s appetite

IPOH: Recent reports of high nitrite content in some bird's nest products from Malaysia have not affected demand for the delicacy in China. Producers in Malaysia, however, need to practise strict quality control to restore the confidence of consumers in China, said Xu Yu Fei, vice-mayor of Wenzhou city in the republic's southeastern Zhejiang province.

She admitted that consumer confidence in China had been “slightly affected” following the reports. “Local producers need to redouble their efforts in promoting their products in China and to prove to consumers their products are of a high quality,” she said. Xu was speaking to reporters after a business matching and dialogue session between local businessmen and their counterparts from Wenzhou here yesterday.

She said local producers needed to improve the sales and marketing of their products, adding that consumers in China were now more careful when choosing bird's nests.Recently, the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry sent a team to China to allay fears over reports of nitrate poisoning from Malaysian-produced bird's nests.

Following the scare, the Health Ministry told owners of bird's nest processing premises to register their business with the ministry by Oct 1 to help it regulate and control product quality. Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai had said food items exported to China would have to be certified by the ministry and the Veterinary Services Department.

Ministry to set standards for swiftlet industry

KUALA LUMPUR: A study is being carried out by the Health Ministry to develop a specific standard for swiftlet nest and its products under the Food Regulations 1985.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said this was to enhance consumers' confidence on the safety level of swiftlet nest and its products since it was a new industry.

“Safety and quality control of all swiftlet nest products will also be upgraded to ensure they are safe and of good quality,” he said in a statement here yesterday. He said swiftlet nest producers would also be registered in the food premises registration system through http://fosimdomestic.moh.gov.my to make it easier for them to comply with the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009.

Liow said the ministry has also introduced the 1Malaysia Food Safety Scheme (SK1M) to assist small and medium entrepreneurs, including producers of swiftlet nest and its products to carry out their own food safety control programme. He said the ministry would also work with the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry to ascertain the safety of raw swiftlet nests at the farm level.

“These initiatives are made to realise the government's aspiration of making the country's swiftlet nest industry a high-impact industry and to ensure its products are safe and of quality,” he added. - Bernama

Bird’s nest operators, premises owners urged to register

PUTRAJAYA: All bird's nest operators and about 56,000 premises owners nationwide are required to register with the Veterinary Department in the wake of the recent allegation in China regarding the condition of birds' nests imported from Malaysia.

Veterinary services director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin said a database would be set up listing all bird's nest exporters, which can be accessed by importers from China for verification purposes.
"Through the system, only exporting companies that are approved by both Malaysia and China are allowed to export the item," he told reporters here.

Abdul Aziz said the registration exercise began this week. So far, 12 companies have registered.
"The claim by China recently that the 'red-coloured bird's nests' allegedly imported from the country containing nitrite is not true, because Malaysia does not produce that type of bird's nests. It might have come from other countries but was trans-shipped to China from Malaysia," said Abdul Aziz.
Under the new system, only birds' nests bearing the Veterinary Health Mark are allowed to be exported to China.

"The department, in collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, will also set up a track-and-trace network system to enable consumers there to determine if the products are from Malaysia," he said.

The three-week period during which China ceased importation of bird's nests from Malaysia caused millions of ringgit in losses, according to Abdul Aziz.
The industry's annual export value to China alone is RM5 billion. It also provides 20,000 jobs.

Cheats use ministry’s name — N

Posted on August 17, 2011, Wednesday

BOOST FOR SECTOR: Noh (standing centre) witnessing the signing of two MoUs on agricultural training at Wisma Tani yesterday. — Bernama photo

PUTRAJAYA: Nest of cheats. Some unscrupulous quarters are using the name of the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry to market bird nest products overseas. These quarters were selling the products direct to Hong Kong and China without the Veterinary Health Mark (VHM) certificate, said the minister, Datuk Seri Noh Omar. He said he would advise China not to purchase the products without certification.

“The ministry takes a serious view of parties using its name to market bird nest products overseas. “We have not given approval to any individual or company to endorse their bird nest products as the best in the world. I will be visiting Shanghai soon to discuss with the Chinese Government on the export of bird nest products,” added Noh.

The minister was asked to comment on a foreign news agency report that certain parties were using the ministry’s name to market their bird nest products in China. He was speaking after the signing of two memorandums of understanding (MoU) on agricultural training at Wisma Tani here yesterday.

One of the MoU, involving the National Agricultural Training Centre (NATC), Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority and the Farmers Organisation, is aimed at setting up a marketing school, using the ‘blue ocean strategy’. Another MoU between NATC and Skill-Tech Institute was aimed at setting up programmes to develop skilled human capital and train entrepreneurs for entry into the Malaysian Agricultural College. — Bernama

Adhere to requirements, bird’s nests suppliers told

by Philip Wong, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on August 11, 2011, Thursday

SIBU: The confirmation that China has not banned bird’s nests from Malaysia has put an end to speculations that Malaysian bird’s nests do not comply with the level of sodium nitrate content. Secretary of Sarawak Bird’s Nests Suppliers Association, Colin Wong, however, reminded industry players here to be alert at all times and to comply strictly with the requirements.

“Bird’s nests suppliers should ensure that their products do not contain more than 30ppm (part per million) nitrate grade level which is the acceptable standard in the world market and is in line with the Food Regulations Act 1985,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Wong was referring to the recent disclosure by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Datuk Chua Tee Yong that China had not banned bird’s nests from Malaysia. The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China had confirmed this to the Malaysian Agriculture Counselor in Beijing.

Last month, the administration tested bird’s nests from Malaysia and found that samples did not comply with the acceptance level of nitrate in bird’s nests in China, which is zero. This gave rise to rumours that China had banned bird’s nests from Malaysia.

China is believed to be the only country requiring zero-nitrate for bird’s nests. The country imported about RM1 billion worth of bird’s nest products and is also the biggest importer of the item. Wong refused to believe that Malaysian swiftlet farmers and suppliers would stoop that low as to mix nitrate with the bird’s nests before supplying them to China, thus giving rise to all the rumours of a Chinese ban.

He said it could be the work of other bird’s nest suppliers who used Malaysian bird’s nests and mixed them with nitrate before exporting them to China. This gave the impression that Malaysian bird’s nests were mixed with an unacceptable level of nitrate, thus the ban. Lately, the prices of bird’s nests had dipped by several hundred ringgit per kg while the brand of one particular product dipped to RM4,000 from RM4,800 previously.

This had caused a temporary setback to the bird’s nests suppliers here. Wong, however, clarified that the drop in prices had nothing to do with the Chinese ban. He said the drop in prices had something to do with the grade of the bird’s nests, its colour, thickness and the overall quality.

“Sometimes, a group of people would come out and offer one lump sum to buy the products at reduced prices. This doesn’t mean that the price of bird’s nests has dropped,” he said.