Microbiology Test Results for White Edible Birds Nest with Fecal Contamination
Background: Southeast Asia's edible bird nest industry, particularly in Indonesia, has experienced rapid growth in recent years. Indonesia stands as the world's leading exporter of edible bird nests. However, concerns persist regarding the quality of edible bird nests produced in the country, specifically to do with meeting quality standards by ensuring freedom from microbial contaminants that can lead to foodborne illnesses. Purpose: To evaluate the microbiological contamination of cleaned edible bird nests sourced from Java Island, Indonesia. Cases(s): Yellow-brown discoloration of edible bird nests collected from bird houses of Javan origin. Case Management: Fifty samples of raw white edible bird’s nest samples (cup-shaped) with yellow-brown discoloration (n=25) originating from Java Island and raw white edible bird’s nest samples (cup-shaped) (n=25) were collected aseptically from the edible bird’s nest warehouses in Surabaya. These samples of edible nests from Java Island were subjected to microbiological analysis. The findings revealed a disconcerting trend, with 25 samples from Java Island exhibiting contamination by Escherichia coli (40%) and coliform bacteria (100%), surpassing established contamination thresholds. Conclusion: This raises critical concerns about the safety and quality of edible bird nests from the region, highlighting the need for enhanced production and processing practices, as well as rigorous quality control measures to ensure consumer safety and to maintain the industry's reputation on a global scale. Addressing these issues is imperative not only to safeguard public health but also to sustain and further develop the lucrative edible bird nest industry in Indonesia.
Badan Standardisasi Nasional., 2021. Sarang Burung Walet Bersih (Edible Bird Nest) SNI 8998:2021. Jakarta: Government Printing Office.
Chajęcka-Wierzchowska, W., Gajewska, J., Wiśniewski, P., and Zadernowska, A., 2020. Enterotoxigenic Potential of Coagulase-negative Staphylococci from Ready- to-eat Food. Pathogens, 9(9), 1-12.
Connolly, C., 2016. A Place for Everything: Moral Landscapes of ‘swiftlet farming’in George Town, Malaysia. Geoforum, 77, 182–191.
El Sheikha, A. F., 2021. Why The Importance of Geo-origin Tracing of Edible Bird Nests is Arising?. Food Research International, 150, 1-6.
Fujita, M., and Leh, C., 2020. The Feeding Ecology of Edible-Nest Swiftlets in a Modified Landscape in Sarawak. In N. Ishikawa & R. Soda (Eds.). Anthropogenic Tropical Forests: Human–Nature Interfaces on the Plantation Frontier, 401–415.
Khan, F. M., and Gupta, R., 2020. Escherichia coli (E. coli) as an Indicator of Fecal Contamination in Groundwater: A Review. In: Sustainable Development of Water and Environment. Proceedings of the ICSDWE 2020, 225–235.
Kong, H., Chan, Z., Yan, S., Lo, P., Wong, W., Wong, K., and Lo, C., 2022. Revealing the Species-specific Genotype of the Edible Bird’s Nest-producing Swiftlet, Aerodramus fuciphagus and the Proteome of Edible Bird’s Nest. Food Research International, 160, 111670.
Lee, C. H., Lee, T. H., Wong, S. L., Nyakuma, B. B., Hamdan, N., Khoo, S. C., Ramachandran, H., and Jamaluddin, H., 2023. Characteristics and Trends in Global Edible Bird’s Nest (EBN) Research (2002–2021): A Review and Bibliometric Study. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 17, 4905-4926.
Lee, T. H., Wani, W. A., Lee, C. H., Cheng, K. K., Shreaz, S., Wong, S., Hamdan, N., and Azmi, N. A., 2021. Edible Bird’s Nest: The Functional Values of the Prized Animal-Based Bioproduct From Southeast Asia–A Review. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, 1-16.
Looi, Q. H., and Omar, A. R., 2016. Swiftlets and edible bird’s nest industry in Asia. Pertanika Journal of Scholarly Research Reviews, 2(1), 32-48.
Lukman, W., and Wibawan, I. W. T., 2018. Protein Profile of Edible Bird’s Nest Origin Kalimantan AndJava Islands Indonesia. IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science, 11(5), 69–73.
Mursidah, M., Lahjie, A. M., Masjaya, M., Rayadin, Y., Ruslim, Y., Judinnur, M. B., and Andy, A., 2021. The Dietary, Productivity, and Economic Value of Swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) Farming in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity, 22(6), 2528-2537.
Odeyemi, O. A., Alegbeleye, O. O., Strateva, M., and Stratev, D., 2020. Understanding Spoilage Microbial Community and Spoilage Mechanisms in Foods of Animal Origin. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 19(2), 311–331.
Sani, N. A., Yee, O. K., Ayob, M. K., Yasir, M. S., Babji, A. S., and Ramli, N., 2015. Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Microbiological Quality, Protein and Amino Acid Profile of Edible Bird Nest Powder. Agriculture and Natural Resources, 49(6), 880–894.
Savichtcheva, O., and Okabe, S., 2006. Alternative Indicators of Fecal Pollution: Relations with Pathogens and Conventional Indicators, Current Methodologies for Direct Pathogen Monitoring and Future Application Perspectives. Water Research, 40(13), 2463–2476.
Suzuki, H., Ichikawa, T., Seman, L., and Fujita, M., 2020. Swiftlet Farming: New Commodity Chains and Techniques in Sarawak and Beyond. In N. Ishikawa and R. Soda (Eds.), Anthropogenic Tropical Forests: Human–Nature Interfaces on the Plantation Frontier. Singapore: Springer, 417–438.
Tambi, A., Brighu, U., and Gupta, A. B., 2023. Methods for Detection and Enumeration of Coliforms in Drinking Water: A Review. Water Supply, 23(10), 4047-4058.
Wong, S. F., Lim, P. K. C., Mak, J. W., Ooi, S. S., and Chen, D. K. F., 2018. Molecular Characterization of Culturable Bacteria in Raw and Commercial Edible Bird Nests (EBNs). International Food Research Journal, 25(3), 966-974.
Copyright (c) 2024 Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
- The journal allows the author to hold the copyright of the article without restrictions.
- The journal allows the author(s) to retain publishing rights without restrictions.
- The legal formal aspect of journal publication accessibility refers to Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike (CC BY-SA).
Journal of Applied Veterinary Science and Technology is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
