Balut (spelled standardized as balot) is a developing bird embryo (usually a duck) that is boiled and

eaten from the shell. It originated from and is commonly sold as street food in the Philippines. Often
served with beer, balut is popular in Southeast Asian countries, such as Laos (khai look ໄຂ່ ລູກ in
Lao), Cambodia (pong tia kounពងទាកូ ន in Khmer),[1] Thailand (Khai Khao ไข่ข ้าว in Thai)
and Vietnam (trứng vịt lộn or hột vịt lộn in Vietnamese).
The Tagalog and Malay word balot means "wrapped". The length of incubation before the egg is
cooked is a matter of local preference, but generally ranges between 14 and 21 days.
The eating of balut is controversial due to religious, animal welfare, and human health concerns.

Contents
[hide]

 1Description
 2Preparation
o 2.1Incubation
 3Chemistry of cooking
 4Nutrition
 5Dishes and vending
 6Consumption and uses
o 6.1Locations of balut consumption
o 6.2Consumption
 7Incubation and storage
 8Controversies
o 8.1Religion
o 8.2Animal welfare
o 8.3Health
 9Outside Southeast Asia
 10Folk medicine
 11See also
 12References
 13Further reading
 14External links

Description[edit]
Veins in a freshly boiled, peeled Balut egg

A balut is a fertilised bird egg (usually a duck) which is incubated for a period of 14 to 21 days
depending on the local culture and then boiled or steamed. The contents are eaten directly from the
shell. Balut that are incubated for longer periods have well-developed embryo and the features of the
duckling are recognizable. The partially-developed embryo bones are soft enough to chew and
swallow as a whole. The mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchus), also known as the "Pateros duck", is
considered to be the most important breed for egg production to make balut.[2]
Balut is a common street food in the Philippines and other localities, and is also sold in stores and
malls. It is a relatively cheap source of protein and calcium.[3] Balut was introduced to the Philippines
by the Chinese around 1885 and since then, balut has been included as a traditional part of the
culture.[4] Wherever Filipinos migrated for work, a large market for balut would develop.
Controversies arose as knowledge of the food spread around the South East Asian countries and
then globally. People questioned the ethics of eating balut.[4]

Preparation[edit]
Incubation[edit]
Traditionally, the fertilized eggs are incubated in the sun or buried in sand, and stored in baskets to
retain warmth. In order for the embryo to develop normally, it must be exposed to heat for the correct
period of time, while ensuring that the temperature is not too hot to harm the eggs or too cold to
prevent growth.[5] The embryo is very sensitive to high temperatures, and is easily killed upon
cooking in the sun.[5] After nine days, the eggs are held to a light to reveal the embryo inside. The
production of balut depends on egg maturation cycles, where the egg begins developing and
changes in texture. Throughout these various maturation periods, different temperatures are
required to accentuate the specific egg and embryo characteristics. Within the first few stages of
maturation, balut is known as "balut sa puti" ("wrapped in white") when it is white; the embryo inside
is insufficiently developed to show a beak, feathers or claws, and the bones are undeveloped. These
are made from very specific egg types, less than five days old and with no visible surface cracks.[6]
The duration of egg incubation is a matter of local preference. In the Philippines, balut is generally
incubated for 14 to 18 days before being boiled for consumption. At about 14 to 16 days of
incubation, the embryo floats on top of the egg white and yolk, and the balut is called
"mamatong".[4] The ideal balut is said to be 17 days old.
There are other versions of balut. In the Cambodian version, "pong tia koun", the egg is incubated
for 18 to 20 days. In the Vietnamese version, "hot vit lon", the egg is incubated for 19 to 21 days,
when the embryo is old enough to be recognizable as a baby duck and has bones that will be firm
but tender when cooked. Some men prefer to eat an embryo that is much more developed, "...so
that it looks gross, because that is a way to prove your manhood."[7][8]

Chemistry of cooking[edit]
During the cooking process, changes occur in the food chemistry of balut, such as the sol
dispersion of water molecules within the embryonic fluid.[9] This liquid becomes the broth for the solid
which are parts of the duck within the egg. Although balut mainly consists of protein, fat is present
and is emulsified within the fertilized embryo. After cooking, it can be considered a protein gel
(depending on the length of time it was cooked). Heating high-protein food such as balut can cause
the chemical changes to take place and fully or partially denature proteins, causing the surface to
become thick and causing an irreversible gel protein to form.[9]
Temperature has a huge impact on the final taste and texture of the cooked balut. Warm
temperatures of 29–30 °C (84–86 °F) change the taste and texture of the yolk by making it more
grainy. This can be attributed to the changes in proteins, and their partial denaturation, during the
heating and incubation process.[10] When boiling or cooking eggs, the white of the egg tends to
solidify because the proteins are denatured in an irreversible reaction and turn from transparent to
an opaque white.[11]Physical and chemical changes in the final balut product can also be attributed to
microbial infections and the rate that microbes infect the balut at various stages.[10]
Balut from Vancouver, BC

There are many chemical changes that occur inside the duck egg as it is being processed, which
can vary depending on how or what it is cooked with. While boiling, added salt can contribute to a
number of chemical changes; it seems to increase the proportional weight of egg white within the
shell, which can be due to the weight differences between the embryo and the egg white
itself.[12] Added salt can also increase the hardness of the egg yolk and affect the overall texture of
the final balut product.[5] Other chemical changes are observed in nutrient content of the duck egg as
it is processed are a slight decrease in the amount of available amino acids, water-soluble vitamins
and minerals after the processing is complete.[12]

Nutrition[edit]

Balut eggs

There are different nutritional values for balut, since it can be either fertilized chicken or duck eggs.
Balut nutrition specifications between chicken and duck have minor differences, but both eggs have
around 14 grams of crude protein, 188 calories each, and around 100 milligrams of calcium. A duck
egg might have a higher value of nutrition than a chicken egg but overall, both chicken and duck
balut have approximately the same nutritional value.[13]
Nutrition specifications for egg-type duck (balut)

Nutrition specifications for egg-type chicken (balut)

Dishes and vending[edit]

Fifteen-day-old balut egg floating in a mixture of hot sauce and vinegar

In the Philippines, balut eaters prefer salt, or a chili, garlic, and vinegar (white or coconut sap)
mixture to season their eggs.[14] The eggs are savored for their balance of textures and flavors; the
broth surrounding the embryo is sipped from the egg before the shell is peeled, and the yolk and
young chick inside can be eaten. All of the contents of the egg may be consumed, although the
white albumen may remain uneaten depending on the age of the fertilized egg. This white albumen
may have an unappetizing cartilaginous taste and is tough and rubbery in texture. In the Philippines,
balut have recently entered haute cuisine by being served as appetizers in restaurants,
cooked adobo style, fried in omelettes or even used as filling in baked pastries. In Vietnam, balut are
eaten with a pinch of salt, lemon juice, plus ground pepper or ginger and Vietnamese mint leaves
called rau răm. In Cambodia, balut are eaten while still warm in the shell and are served with nothing
more than a little garnish, which is usually a mixture of lime juice and ground pepper.
Shelled and fried balut

A similar preparation is known in China as maodan (Chinese: 毛蛋; pinyin: máo dàn; literally:
"feathered egg"), modan (Chinese: 末蛋; pinyin: mò dàn; literally: "end-stage
egg"), wangjidan (Chinese: 旺雞蛋; pinyin: wàng jīdàn; literally: "flush egg") or huozhuzi (Chinese: 活
珠子; pinyin: huózhūzi; literally: "living bead"). Chinese traders and migrants are said to have brought
the idea of eating fertilized duck eggs to the Philippines. However, the knowledge and craft of balut-
making has been localized by the balut-makers (mangbabalot). Today, balut production has not
been mechanized in favor of the traditional production by hand. Although balut are produced
throughout the Philippines, balut-makers in Pateros are renowned for their careful selection and
incubation of the eggs.[citation needed]
Vendors sell cooked balut from buckets of sand (used to retain warmth) accompanied by small
packets of salt. Uncooked balut are rarely sold in Southeast Asia. In the United
States, Asian markets occasionally carry uncooked balut eggs. Alternatively, they can be ordered by
mail. The cooking process is identical to that of hard-boiled chicken eggs, and baluts are eaten while
still warm.

Underaged balut with visible chick

Duck eggs that are not properly developed after nine to twelve days are sold as penoy, which look,
smell and taste similar to a regular hard-boiled egg. In Filipino cuisine, these are occasionally beaten
and fried, similar to scrambled eggs, and served with a vinegar dip.
Consumption and uses[edit]
Locations of balut consumption[edit]
Balut is consumed in high amounts within countries in Southeast Asia, including Laos, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, and China.[15] Pateros is a first-class municipality in Metro Manila,
Philippines that is famous for its duck-raising industry and balut production.
Balut is recognized as a national food of the Philippines, but possibly originated from China. It is said
that an early form of balut was brought by Chinese traders and migrants to the Philippines; the
Chinese may have sparked the interest and excitement for the Philippines' love of balut. It is
commonly sold as a street food and served as an appetizer in restaurants. The taste of balut is
similar to chicken soup. It has an unusual texture.
Balut is found in some countries and locations of North America. While it cannot be found in every
store in North America, specialty stores such as T&T, and in particular, Filipino stores in the Greater
Vancouver area, often sell balut.[16] In the United States, growers such as Metzer Farms specialize in
balut production, spreading the knowledge of balut and its awareness.
A reason it may not be found or consumed as frequently in North America is that the majority of
people outside of Southeast Asia still recognize balut as a novel and taboo food and often are
anxious about trying it.[15]
Consumption[edit]
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.[17] 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. Some countries and locations will serve balut raw, although not common. As well, it is
important to note that 'raw' can mean just a light boiling or very light, brief cooking method.[17] This is
not the best choice as it is very susceptible to microorganisms. A reason why balut is required to be
cooked for a specific time is to preserve it, and decrease the consumers susceptibility to disease.[4]

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.[7]

Incubation and storage[edit]

Balut egg purchased from Vancouver supermarket, with different labeling requirements than traditional Chicken
Eggs.

Balut is considered to be a street food, and as with many street foods, balut should be eaten as soon
as it is prepared. Sources suggest that at most, the shelf-life of a cooked balut is one day, but can be
kept in the refrigerator for up to one week.[18]
According to the FDA Food Code, balut can perish over time or due to temperature changes. After
being cooked, balut should be handled either at 57 °C and above, or kept at or below 5 °C.[19]
While most countries have specific regulations and standards for food, Canada has certain egg
regulations pertaining to what products can be labelled as an egg. Balut eggs are not subjected to
the egg regulations in Canada under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, meaning they do not
require the specific labeling requirements and rules of the traditional chicken egg.[20]

Balut stall

Controversies[edit]
Religion[edit]
Eating balut raises concerns for some religious groups. Part of the Quran, the Islamic religious book,
includes understanding and respecting the law that any animal products should not be eaten if the
animal has not been slaughtered properly, making the animal or animal-product
"maytah".[18][21] Because balut is an egg containing a partly-developed embryo,[22] Muslims believe this
makes it "haram", or "forbidden".[21][23][24]
Animal welfare[edit]
Information relating to whether boiling a partially-developed embryo is ethically acceptable or not can
be found in the legislation relating to the euthanasia and treatment of research animals. Bird
embryos that have reached greater than 50% of their incubation have developed a neural
tube sufficient for pain perception; therefore, they should be euthanized by similar methods used in
avian neonates such as anesthetic overdose, decapitation, or prolonged exposure to carbon
dioxide.[25] Similarly, in the UK, embryonic birds are "protected animals" once they have reached the
last third of their incubation period.[26] There are specified methods of humanely killing protected
animals used in research, but boiling is not one of these. Depending on the species of duck, some
eggs used for balut would be boiled within the last half or third of embryo development. Duck
embryos are oftenly taken off incubation in order to stunt the growth process, the embryos no longer
develop, and becomes readily available for purchasing. The RSPCA Australia recommends against
boiling the duck embryo from the 18th day of incubation onwards due to the potential for suffering
beyond that point, and notes that it is "an area that is yet to be further researched".[27]
Several groups wish to ban balut.[28] A petition has been raised to get 5,000 signatures to have balut
labeled "fertilized duck egg with embryo" and taken off the menu in the Maharlika restaurant, New
York.[29] (As of 2014, the restaurant was selling balut for $5 each.[30]) As a response to this petition,
Filipino New Yorkers have created a counter petition asking to leave the food item alone.[24]
Health[edit]
The incubation temperatures and environment required for the proper development of balut during
processing are ideal growth conditions for many bacteria including Salmonella enteritidis. In addition,
faecal pathogens can be deposited on the egg shell surface during laying. Balut, is therefore labelled
as a "Hazardous Food" in Canada.[31] Warnings have been published to obtain balut only from safe,
well-known producers.[31]

Outside Southeast Asia[edit]

Outside of Southeast Asia, balut is often considered a novelty or taboo food that 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
Australia 2 and The Amazing Race Ukraine, Survivor: Palau, Survivor: China, Survivor:
Caramoan, Survivor: Cambodia, and Good Mythical Morning.[32][33]
In the United States, the eggs are sold at Asian markets. However, to get the right age eggs and to
ensure freshness, it is recommended[by whom?] that they be purchased from a professional or an egg
vendor at Asian farmers markets.
Phillipe Nover of Team Nogueira ate balut during Season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter, encouraging his
teammates to do the same.[34][relevant? – discuss]

Folk medicine[edit]
According to popular Vietnamese belief, these eggs are a nutritious and restorative food for pregnant
or delivering women.[citation needed]

See also[edit]

 Food portal

 Balut (game)
 Century egg
 Kutti pi
 List of delicacies
 Salted duck egg
  Smoked egg
 Soy egg
 Tea egg
 Tokneneng

References[edit]
1. Jump up^ Regional names.
2. Jump up^ Romjali, E.N.; Lambio, A.L.; Luis, E.S.; Roxas, N.P.;
Barion, A.A. (2014). "Fertility and hatchability of eggs on mallard ducks
(Anas platyrhynchos L.) of different plumage pattern under different
feeding regimes". JITV. 19 (3): 674–678.
3. Jump up^ Magat, Margaret (2007). "'Balut,' the Fertilised Duck Eggs
of the Philippines". In Hosking, Richard. Eggs in Cookery: Proceedings
of the Oxford Symposium of Food and Cookery 2006. Prospect
Books. ISBN 978-1-903018-54-5.
4. ^ Jump up to:a b c d Magat, Margaret (January 1, 2002). "Balut:
"Fertilized Duck Eggs and Their Role in Filipino Culture"". Western
Folklore. 61 (1): 63–96. doi:10.2307/1500289. JSTOR 1500289.
5. ^ Jump up to:a b c R. Ehrlich, Paul. "Incubation: Heating Egg."
Incubation: Heating Egg. Web. February 29, 2016.
6. Jump up^ Matejowsky, T. (2013). "The incredible, edible balut. food,
culture and society". International Journal of Multidisciplinary
Research. 16(3): 387–404.
7. ^ Jump up to:a b Liedel, E. (April 14, 2014). "Balut: The fertilized duck
egg street snack". Modern Farmer.
8. Jump up^ "Cracking the shell: Balut revealed | Tangled
Noodle". tanglednoodle.blogspot.ca. March 13, 2011.
Retrieved August 15,2016.
9. ^ Jump up to:a b "Course:FNH200/Lesson 02 - UBC Wiki". wiki.ubc.ca.
Retrieved March 21, 2016.
10. ^ Jump up to:a b "Redirecting..." drive.google.com. Retrieved March
17, 2016.
11. Jump up^ BBC. "Cooking and Chemical Changes." BBC News. BBC,
n.d. Web. February 29, 2016.
12. ^ Jump up to:a b Kaewmanee, Thammarat. "Changes in Chemical
Composition, Physical Properties and Microstructure of Duck Egg as
Influenced by Salting." Research Gate. N.p., 11 June 2008. Web.
February 29, 2016.
13. Jump up^ Lambio, A. L. (2010). Poultry Production in the Tropics.
Quezon, Diliman, Philippines: The University of Philippines Press.
14. Jump up^ "What Is a Balut Egg?". The San Francisco Chronicle.
15. ^ Jump up to:a b "In Some Countries People Eat Balut(egg) fertilized
duck embryo". 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
16. Jump up^ "Best balut in Vancouver. (n.d.)". Retrieved August
16, 2016.
17. ^ Jump up to:a b Emily Liedel (April 14, 2014). "Balut: The Fertilized
Duck Egg Street Snack - Modern Farmer". Retrieved August 16, 2016.
18. ^ Jump up to:a b "Enhancing the value of eggs: How to make balut and
century eggs". www.fftc.agnet.org. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
19. Jump up^ "Balut" (PDF). North Bay Perry Sound District Health Unit.
University of Guelph. February 11, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
20. Jump up^ Guelph, University (March 3, 2016). "Balut" (PDF). CPHAZ.
Retrieved August 15, 2016.
 21. ^ Jump up to:a b "Is eating egg haram / makruh - Multaqa Ahl al-
Hadeeth". August 28, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
22. Jump up^ Tang, Q., Li-Chan, E. C. Y., Byrne, S. K., & Cheng, K. M.
(n.d.). Effect of storage temperature on sensory and microbiological
quality of duck balut eggs, 4.
23. Jump up^ Nutrition, Center for Food Safety and Applied. "Food Code
- FDA Food Code 2009: Annex 3 - Public Health Reasons /
Administrative Guidelines - Chapter 1, Purpose and
Definitions". www.fda.gov. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
24. ^ Jump up to:a b Kilham, Chris (September 15, 2011). "Eating Balut:
Going Too Far? | Fox News". Fox News. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
25. Jump up^ Leary, S.; et al. (2013). "AVMA Guidelines for the
Euthanasia of Animals - 2013 edition" (PDF). AVMA. Retrieved March
24, 2016.
26. Jump up^ "Consolidated version of ASPA 1986". Home Office (UK).
2014. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
27. Jump up^ "Is the practice of boiling pre-hatched duck embryos in their
shell humane?". RSPCA Australia knowledgebase. Retrieved 10
October 2016.
28. Jump up^ Matejowsky, T. (2013). The Incredible, Edible Balut. Food,
Culture and Society: An International Journal of Multidisciplinary
Research, 16(3), 387-404.
29. Jump up^ San Jose, C.E. (April 13, 2015). "Animal rights activist:
Stop serving 'balut' in New York". Kicker Daily News. Retrieved March
20, 2016.
30. Jump up^ Calderon, J. (2014). "Balut: The Filipino delicacy that
makes the world squirm". CNN. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
31. ^ Jump up to:a b Information Sheet (2011). "Balut" (PDF). University of
Guelph. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
32. Jump up^ 'Survivor: Caramoan': It's Corinne vs. Phillip when the
tribes merge
33. Jump up^ "Balut gets spotlight in New York".
34. Jump up^ "Episode No. 8 recap: "The Ultimate Fighter: Team
Nogueira vs. Team Mir"".

Further reading[edit]
 Davidson, Alan (1999). "Balut". Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford
University Press. p. 53. ISBN 0-19-211579-0.

External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has
media related to Balut.

 How to make the Hawaiian version of Balut

 Balut : the ugly duckling embryo : The balut in Filipino culture
 Eating Balut: Going Too Far?
 What is a Balut Egg?
 Half-hatched Duck Eggs: Hot Vit Lon
 EATING A DEAD DUCKLING (BALUT EGG) | WheresMyChallenge
on YouTube
  How To Eat Balut -- The Strangest Food You Can Buy In New York
City on YouTube
 Balut | The filipino food delicacy, a fertilized duck egg on YouTube
 People Try Balut For The First Time
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