'Red' bird's nest may be dangerous

[MarrickG]

SINGAPORE - They are pricey, they are hard to harvest, they are prized for their nutrients - but they could be fake.

Especially if they are red.

Malaysian Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Deputy Minister Chua Tee Yong warned on Friday that most of the so-called "blood bird's nest" on the Malaysian market have been pigment-dyed.

He advised consumers there to buy ordinary white bird's nest instead of red blood bird's nest.

In Singapore, retailers are also raising the alarm, saying that "blood bird's nests" have been dyed red and are not the real thing, reported Lianhe Zaobao.

But there is such a thing as blood bird's nest.

According to several local online retailers, a kilogramme of white bird's nest can cost up to $3,000.

Blood bird's nest, on the other hand, can cost up to $15,000 per kg.