Asian supermarkets and eateries serving Balut and Hột Vịt Lộn - duck and chicken eggs with developing embryo - are being reminded to be mindful of Animal Welfare Act rules.
These eggs, sold at some Asian supermarkets and weekend markets, are considered a delicacy by some Asian communities and believed to boost male fertility and libido.
In the Philippines and Vietnam, Balut and Hột Vịt Lộn are a popular street food. They are typically eaten boiled or steamed and eaten directly from the shell, usually seasoned with salt, pepper and lime.
At Gai Lee Supermarket in Otahuhu, the eggs - labelled as “chicken egg & baby” - are being sold at $6 each or $99 for a tray of 20. They are also available at the Avondale Sunday Market.
Marie McAninch, SPCA Scientific Officer (Farmed Animals) told chowluckclub.com that even though the birds are not yet hatched, sellers must still ensure the embryo was “humanely killed” before selling or serving them.
She said the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) had provided a detailed guidance on the production and processing of balut.
“According to MPI, the humane killing of pre-hatched birds intended for balut should be done similarly to other animals – stun and kill, then verify death,” McAninch said.
“Specifically, for balut, this process should occur before the egg is boiled for consumption.”
The recommended steps are that the eggs be chilled at temperatures less than 4C for four hours (stun and kill), and candling or using a digital egg monitor to confirm the death of the pre-hatched bird (verification of death).
In the processing of balut, the fertilized duck or chicken egg is incubated for between 14 and 21 days until the embryo is developed but before it hatches.
Balut first made headlines here in 2014 when a Filipino restaurant in Onehunga started serving the dish, which prompted a complaint to the SPCA that sparked an investigation.
“Regarding the 2014 investigation into the supplier of Trứng Vịt Lộn and Balut, SPCA found that the supplier did not breach the Animal Welfare Act,” McAninch added.
MPI said there was still not “a full understanding” about balut production, but urged producers to mitigate welfare risks.
“We want to encourage balut producers to mitigate welfare risks (known or presumed) to the pre-hatched birds, while also acknowledging that there is not yet a full understanding of the welfare implications of balut production,” the ministry said.
“Our recommendation is therefore based on taking a precautionary approach to minimising animal welfare risks to the pre-hatched bird, to meet the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act 1999, good practice, and available science.”
Pre-hatched birds that are in the first half of their development period (less than 50%) are not covered under the Animal Welfare Act 1999, so in these instances, the requirements for humane killing do not apply.
“However, we recommend that a humane killing approach is also used, in the interests of good practice,” MPI added.
