MadSci Network: General Biology |
According to the Oxford Companion to Food, bird's nest blong to a species of swiftlet, "Collocalia whiteheadi," found in the Phillipines and New Guinea. The book explains, "In making their nests, the birds cement a scaffolding of tiny twigs together with a sticky substance which has been variously identified as coming from regurgitated seaweed, such as agar-agar, or as being simply the bird's own saliva." The high cost of these nests have "tended to rule out any analytical research" on their nutrient composition. I couldn't find any information on its effect on skin, but extracts of some types of seaweeds are components of some types of cosmetics and skin care products. Reference: Alan Livingston. "The Oxford Companion to Food" 1999. Oxford University Press.
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