Bird's nest, as one of the traditional and precious foods in China, is loved by people because of its rich nutritional value and unique taste. However, with the prosperity of the market, the quality and authenticity of bird's nest have become increasingly prominent. In order to help consumers better identify real and fake bird's nests, this article will introduce 6 practical identification methods.
First, look at the appearance.
The color of real bird's nest is usually off-white or beige, with some gray or black spots. If the bird's nest is too white in appearance or too bright in color, it may have been bleached or dyed and needs to be further identified. Also, the shape of a real bird's nest is a half-moon or boat-shaped, while a fake bird's nest may be triangular, flat, or otherwise irregularly shaped.
2. Smell the smell.
Real bird's nests smell faintly fishy and fragrant, while fake bird's nests may have a chemical smell or no taste at all. If the smell of bird's nest is too strong or has a pungent odor, it is likely that flavors or other chemicals have been added.
3. Feel the texture.
Real bird's nests have a soft, moist texture and are not fragile, while fake bird's nests may be too dry or too soft and prone to breakage. At the same time, the texture of real bird's nest is more delicate, while fake bird's nest may be coarse.
Fourth, taste the taste.
Real bird's nest has a delicate and smooth taste, with a faint fishy smell and fragrance, while fake bird's nest may have a rough taste or be too soft and inelastic. In addition, real bird's nest can release a strong aroma after stewing, while fake bird's nest may not have this fragrance or the fragrance is weaker.
Fifth, the method of soaking in water.
Soak a small piece of bird's nest in clean water, the extract of real bird's nest is pale yellow or white, while the extract of fake bird's nest may leach strong yellow or other colors. At the same time, real bird's nest has a soft and moist texture after soaking in water and will not fade or fade, while fake bird's nest may fade or fade.
Sixth, the fire method.
Lighting a small piece of bird's nest with fire, the real bird's nest will produce ashes when burned, and the ashes will be soft and black, while the fake bird's nest may produce a pungent smell or smoke when burned, and the ashes will be white or other colors.
To sum up, consumers can distinguish between real and fake bird's nests by looking at the appearance, smelling the smell, touching the texture, tasting the taste, soaking in water and burning the bird's nest. When buying bird's nest, it is recommended to choose regular merchants and brands to avoid buying fake and shoddy products. At the same time, consumers should also pay attention to the storage and consumption methods of bird's nest to ensure its nutritional value and safety and hygiene.