The authentic balut: history, culture, and economy of a Philippine food icon

Maria Carinnes P Alejandria,Tisha Isabelle M De Vergara,Karla Patricia M Colmenar

doi:10.1186/s42779-019-0020-8

Abstract

The practice of making and eating fertilized duck eggs is a widely known practice in Asia. In the Philippines, “balut” is a popularly known Filipino delicacy which is made by incubating duck eggs for about 18 days. However, criticisms against its authenticity and the unstable demand for balut in the market pose challenges to the development of the Philippine balut industry. Consequently, this research aims to trace the history of balut production and consumption in the Philippines by specifically looking into the following. First, it explores the factors that contribute to the discovery and patronage of balut. Second, it identifies the localities that popularized the balut industry. Third, this includes the key industries that started the large scale production of balut. Fourth, it discusses the local ways of balut-making practices in the country. Lastly, it also provides an account of the ways of balut consumption. Through content analysis of secondary data, this research argues that balut remains an authentic Filipino food despite shared patronage in several Asian countries through the localized meanings associated with its consumption, preparation, and distribution.

Highlights

Balut is a popularly known Filipino delicacy made from incubated duck eggs
The popularity of balut in most Asian cultures led to the curiosity of Western countries
The issue of balut as a taboo has been evident in some regions in the Philippines

Summary

Introduction

Balut is a popularly known Filipino delicacy made from incubated duck eggs. It is the main product of the duck industry in the Philippines [1, 2] followed by salted duck eggs locally known as “itlog na maalat” [3]. The perfect balut is incubated for 17 to 18 days while its embryo is still wrapped with a whitish covering and has not yet fully developed [4, 5]. This is locally known as “balut sa puti” which literally means “wrapped in white.”. It has been identified that fertilized duck egg consumption was originally developed in China to extend the shelf life of the eggs before the discovery of refrigerators [6] It was called “maodan” or literally translated as “feathered” or “hairy egg,” as feathers are still visible when it is cooked. It is still popularly known and commonly consumed in most East and Southeast Asian countries, including Laos and Thailand [7]

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