Balut: Fertilized Eggs and the Making of Culinary Capital in the Filipino Diaspora

Product Information

Food Code - FDA Food Code 2009: Annex 3 - Public Health Reasons / Administrative Guidelines - Chapter 1, Purpose and Definitions". Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition . Retrieved March 20, 2016. Nutritionally speaking, balut is rich in calories, protein, and minerals such as vitamin A. While the flavor profile of this dish might seem fishy or slightly off-putting at first, keep in mind that it is deeply ingrained in Filipino culture and embraced by a multitude of food enthusiasts for its unique qualities. With an open mind and adventurous palate, you too may come to appreciate the culinary aspects of balut. Eating and Serving Balut The next step is to season the egg. Balut vendors will often have salt to sprinkle onto the egg contents but vinegar and chilli peppers are also popular choices. Vendors also roam around residential areas while shouting “ baloooot!” with their cloth-covered baskets. You can expect this at night, again, rooting from the fact that it’s known as an aphrodisiac. Balut typically costs Php 15, but there may be some offering higher prices. All eggs are collected by hand and the birds get used to that, although it has to be done carefully. We find the birds will move out onto the veranda area when egg collection is under way,” says Ms Sharma.

When you venture into trying balut for the first time, be prepared for a unique culinary experience often found in the streets of Southeast Asia. Typically, street vendors or balut vendors sell these eggs in markets and along streets, making them easily accessible for both locals and tourists alike. However, due to its growing popularity, some restaurants have also started including balut in their menus.

Leary, S.; etal. (2013). "AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals - 2013 edition" (PDF). AVMA . Retrieved March 24, 2016. The albumen, or egg white portion of balut, contains fewer calories and fat than the yolk. However, it is also lower in vitamins and minerals. If you’re looking to reduce your calorie and fat intake, you may opt to consume only the egg white part of the balut. The younger the egg the better it is for some people because it’s more tender compared to a three-week-old egg.

Alejandria, Maria Carinnes P.; De Vergara, Tisha Isabelle M.; Colmenar, Karla Patricia M. (November 25, 2019). "The authentic balut: history, culture, and economy of a Philippine food icon". Journal of Ethnic Foods. 6 (1): 16. doi: 10.1186/s42779-019-0020-8. ISSN 2352-6181. Feed protein levels and brooding temperatures are critical for successful quail breeding. And because they are very flighty and nervous birds, it’s important to move around them with care,” says Ms Sharma.Pateros eyes world record attempt for balut". ABS-CBN News. April 11, 2015 . Retrieved April 27, 2018. The consumption of balut might also involve ethical considerations, particularly for those who follow specific dietary restrictions or religious beliefs. The concept of consuming a developing embryo can be morally and ethically challenging for some individuals. It’s essential to respect and understand various perspectives before indulging in balut. Outside of Southeast Asia, balut has been featured on reality television shows, such as in season 1 of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, or as part of eating challenges, such as on Fear Factor in 2002, Hell's Kitchen in 2013, The Amazing Race Asia 2, The Amazing Race Australia 2, The Amazing Race Ukraine, Survivor: Palau, Survivor: China, Survivor: Caramoan, and Survivor: Cambodia. [39] [40] Despite being an object of culinary fascination around the world, balut – a popular Filipino food – is no beauty queen. All eggs from the breeding birds are collected on a roll-away system, with each quail egg weighing 13.6-14g. Females come into lay at seven weeks and lay around five eggs a week.

Food has been the focus of study among researchers in describing the socio-cultural landscape of a society. In some works, food is used as a point of discussion of history [ 11], policy development [ 12], and even societal hierarchies [ 13] and inequalities [ 14]. This current work contributes to the growing literature of food studies, as it traces the socio-historical narratives of the Filipino people in relation to the polarizing ethnic food called balut. Accordingly, the main objective of this study is to trace the history of balut making and consumption in the Philippines. In particular, this would be discussed according to five sub-objectives. First, this study aims to identify the factors that contributed to the discovery and patronage of balut by looking into the economic, social, and cultural contexts. Second, this study maps out the localities that popularized the balut industry in the country. Third, this study also intends to specify the key industries that started off the large scale production of balut. Fourth, this work discusses the local processes of making balut and the various ways of its consumption. It is through the latter three objectives by which this paper positions balut as a distinct Filipino food despite its wide distribution and patronage in Asia. The yolk, on the other hand, may be the favorite because it looks like a regular egg yolk, except that it’s a bit slimy on the outside. Despite the potential salmonella concern for some, in the Philippines, eating balut is actually thought to encourage safe pregnancy for women and is recommended for expectant mothers. Trying balut in the Philippines Melican, N. R. 2012. “Pateros officials approve tax break for balut makers.” Philippine Daily Inquirer. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/234825/pateros-officials-approve-tax-break-for-balut-makers. Retrieved July 7 2018 Department of Science and Technology, and Department of Science and Technology. Philippines ehealth strategic framework and plan 2014-2020. 2014;8.Balut is so important to Filipinos that the municipality of Pateros in Metro Manila, known as the ‘Balut Capital’, has held a festival dedicated to this delicacy for more than three decades! It is held in early April and features live music, dancing, cooking competitions and of course, plenty of balut. a b c R. Ehrlich, Paul. "Incubation: Heating Egg." Incubation: Heating Egg. Web. February 29, 2016.

In the Philippines, balut is often eaten with salt or a chili, garlic and vinegar (white or coconut sap) mixture to season, depending on personal preference. [23] [24] Balut can be served in many ways and may be cooked, boiled, and fried. It may be cooked adobo-style, fried in omelets, and used as filling in pastries. Although balut is globally recognized as a Filipino food, it is being consumed less and less in the Philippines. This is partly due to increasingly Western tastes, but also because balut is often associated with poverty. [11] Union Bank. 2018. “Balut king.” https://www.unionbankph.com/corporate-sme/smallbusiness/small-business/success-stories/21-balut-king. The record was later awarded to Pateros, Metro Manila and to this date, the record still stands. [43] See also [ edit ]Balut raises concerns among animal rights advocates due to the idea of consuming a developing embryo. The process of making balut involves incubating fertilized eggs, allowing the embryos to develop, and then boiling them. This practice is seen by some as cruel and inhumane. Thus, you need to consider your stance on this issue before consuming balut. As you can gather from these comparisons, balut’s flavor is relatively mild and approachable, especially when contrasted with dishes like surströmming and stinky tofu. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, balut has its unique taste that many people find delicious and worth experiencing. Controversial Aspects of Balut Consumption