Black caviar

Black caviar is a generalized name for sturgeon caviar, including paddlefish ^[1]. Interestingly, it differs in size, color, chemical composition, elasticity of the shells and taste. The color of real sturgeon caviar is not absolutely black, but rather the opposite: the lighter the product, the higher it is valued.

Today, wild sturgeon fishing is limited and strictly punishable by law. In conditions of artificial reproduction (aquacultures), caviar is represented by the following species: sterlet, beluga, bester, Russian, Siberian and white sturgeon. According to the method of preparation, it is divided into three groups: pressed, pasteurized and granular, and according to the type of packaging – loose and packaged.

The content of table salt in all types of black caviar is 3-5%. In addition, to increase the shelf life, the use of a preservative (E285 or LIV-1 / LIV-2) is allowed.

Classification

Black caviar is one of the most expensive and healthy delicacies. Due to the high cost (from $ 50 per 50 grams), this product has at all times been considered a symbol of prosperity and success, associated with a luxurious, prosperous life.

To date, the main place of extraction of black caviar is the Caspian Sea (90% of the total) ^[2]. Limited fishing is carried out in the lower reaches of the Danube, the Amur region, the Black Sea region.

Aquaculture caviar is obtained in two ways: conventional (fish are caught, killed, gutted) and “non-traumatic” (sturgeons are caught, the belly is cut open, the ovaries are “milked out”, the incision is sewn up, the fish is released) ^[3].

Consider which parameters determine the appearance of black caviar.

On processing and maturity ^[4]

1. Grainy. Method of preparation: after catching fish, raw caviar is immediately rubbed on the sieve (rumble). Thanks to this procedure, the grains are cleared of veins of veins, films, remain completely clean and whole, retain a round shape. After breaking through the screen, the product is lightly salted until the formation of the so-called “Toulouse”.

Properly cooked granular black caviar is called dry friable, in it the grains are easily separated from each other, underexposed in salting – not allowed, overexposed – bypassed.

To increase the shelf life, antiseptic substances are added to the product: borax and boric acid.

Interestingly, the lighter and larger the eggs, the more mature and tasty the caviar.

2. Payusnaya. After fishing, the caviar is salted right in the oysters in a hot brine, after which it is decomposed in breadcrumbs and dried (weathered). The next stage of preparation is release from the film, cleansing of mucus and veins. At the final stage, dried (fermented) and fresh grains are crushed by pushers in vats, after which they condense, become flat, and acquire a piquant taste.

To turn pressed caviar into a homogeneous mass, it is subjected to pickling in warm brine and light pressing.

3. Pasteurized. It is salted by the dry method. Such caviar is packaged in glass jars, which are hermetically sealed and pasteurized. The main purpose of heat treatment is to increase the shelf life of the product. This product can be stored up to 2 years without loss of nutritional and beneficial properties. Heat treatment gives a richer taste to black caviar, makes the shell of the grains tight.

The best grainy black caviar – beluga, pressed – stellate sturgeon.

By sturgeon species ^[5]

1. Beluga. It ranks first in nutritional value and taste. This is the largest fish from the sturgeon family. It reaches up to 4 meters in length and weighs up to 400 kilograms. Caviar accounts for over 25% of the total weight. Interestingly, puberty in female beluga occurs at the age of 25 years. The life expectancy of individuals is more than 100 years. Fish don’t spawn every year. The ovaries are silvery or dark gray in color and have a subtle nutty flavor. ^[6].

Nutritional value: fat – 14,2 grams, protein – 27,2 grams, calorie – 237 calories per 100 grams of product.

2. Sturgeon. Her eggs are smaller than beluga ones; they are yellowish-brown in color with a sharp tint of the sea and algae. The sturgeon can weigh up to 200 kilograms and grow up to 2 meters in length. Often the mass of one adult does not exceed 80 kilograms. Sexual maturity of fish grown in warm waters occurs at the age of 9 years. Life expectancy is 80 years.

100 grams of the product contains 9,7 grams of fat, 28 grams of protein, 203 calories.

The cost of sturgeon caviar inferior beluga.

3. Sevruzhya. Her eggs are small, black, more elastic than those of the beluga. This is the smallest sturgeon fish. Its weight does not exceed 25 kilograms, and the length of the body is 1,5 meters. The female stellate sturgeon begins to spawn at the age of 8.

The calorie content of the product is 221 calories per 100 grams, the fat content is 11,9 grams, and the proteins are 28,4 grams. The weight of caviar accounts for 11% of the mass of fish. It is most delicious in individuals who have reached the age of 20.

Beluga caviar (3,5 mm) dominates in the diameter of eggs, sturgeon caviar (2,5 mm) occupies an intermediate position, and stellate sturgeon caviar (1 mm) completes the top three.

By type of packaging ^[4]

1. By weight (barrel). These products are handmade and sold on the market by dubious sellers. Its low cost is due to improper processing, rough texture and non-compliance with storage conditions. In addition, for better preservation, harmful preservatives are introduced into black caviar to enhance the taste.
2. Packaged. Caviar is packed in tin or glass jars. Such a product has a pleasant texture, it is of high quality. It is recommended to give preference to caviar packaged in glass containers, through which you can inspect the product.

What are the benefits?

Black caviar is a unique product containing many vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, B9, B12, C, E, D, choline) and minerals (iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus).

The rich chemical composition determines the beneficial properties of the product:

• supports the immune system, visual acuity;
• normalizes the state of the nervous system ^[7];
• increases sexual desire;
• relieves anemia;
• improves sugar metabolism;
• removes slags;
• keeps the body in good shape;
• stimulates the work of internal organs;
• neutralizes the harmful effects of free radicals;
• accelerates tissue regeneration;
• strengthens bones and joints;
• improves the condition of patients suffering from coronary heart disease ^[8];
• prevents stroke, myocardial infarction, anemia;
• increases mental capacity;
• gives elasticity to vessels;
• activates collagen production ^[9].

Black caviar has general strengthening, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and anti-allergic properties. In terms of nutritional value, this product is healthier than meat.

Interestingly, elite cosmetics based on “black gold” prolong the youthfulness of aging skin (after 35 years), maintain hair density and give natural shine to hair. ^[10][11]. Due to the high cost of cosmetics based on this protein product, they are produced in limited quantities only by nominal world brands. These include La Prairie (Switzerland), Ingrid Millet (France), Pevonia Botanica (USA), Diademine (Germany), Mirra Lux (Russia).

Which caviar is more useful: red or black?

First of all, it is worth noting that both products are considered royal delicacies and are a natural storehouse of protein, omega-3, omega-6 acids, vitamins and minerals. ^[12]. It would be naive to believe that different types of sturgeon caviar (sturgeon, beluga, stellate sturgeon) and salmon caviar (salmon, chinook salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, sockeye salmon) are the same. The color, taste, shape of the grains depend on the fish from which they are extracted.

There is a misconception that black caviar is healthier than red caviar. These products have approximately the same nutritional value. The high cost of black caviar is due to the rarity of the delicacy. Sturgeon species of fish lay offspring in adulthood (not earlier than 10-15 years) only 1-2 times in their entire life (for 100 years). The extraction of black caviar is not an easy task, which only skillful anglers can do. It is obtained in much smaller quantities than red, since catching fish is not difficult.

Individuals of the salmon family become sexually mature as early as 2-5 years. They spawn in fresh water. Most migratory salmon spawn only once in their lives, after which they immediately die. Some individuals (for example, salmon) spawn up to 4 times in a lifetime.

Thus, both products are equally beneficial for human health and are recommended for use by all people and even children over 3 years of age who are not allergic to the product.

Harm

The main disadvantage of black caviar is its high salt content, which causes problems with pressure and swelling. This product is contraindicated in children under 3 years of age, people with high blood cholesterol, atherosclerosis, problems with the digestive system, urolithiasis.

Another important drawback of the product is non-ecological compatibility. In recent years, the sturgeon population is rapidly decreasing, which threatens the state of their gene pool. In this regard, the delicacy is harvested on fish farms, where individuals for the food industry are grown in artificial conditions.

It is strictly forbidden to catch sturgeons in the wild in unlimited quantities, as this threatens to reduce the biodiversity of our planet.

Chemical composition ^[13][14]

In 100 grams of “black gold” is concentrated from 200 to 250 calories.

Currently, there is an opinion that the product of sturgeon fish is the main enemy of the figure, since it leads to obesity. Actually it is not. Caviar is a valuable nutritious product, which includes essential amino acids, vitamins, macro- and microelements, polyunsaturated triglycerides of the omega-3, omega-6 type. The product consists of 50% water, 30% proteins, 13% fatty acids, 5% inorganic substances, 2% nutrients.

Black caviar is considered a perfectly balanced product. It is prescribed to seriously ill people to increase hemoglobin, speed up the healing process, strengthen immunity and “return” vitality. The product is useful for children and adolescents for normal development.

To preserve the useful properties of black caviar, a small amount of salt is added to it during the production process, which should not exceed 5% of the weight of the main product.

Sturgeon caviar is very capricious. So that the consistency of the eggs does not change, and the taste does not deteriorate, they are stored at a temperature of 2 to 4 degrees below zero.

How to eat black caviar?

Chefs emphasize that the status of the product requires a special relationship, and recommend to adhere to the classic ritual:

1. Place the jar of caviar on the ice, wait 20 minutes. This will fully reveal the taste of delicacy.
2. Place the delicacy between the index finger and thumb of the back of the hand. As usual, it is believed that this product should be eaten from the skin. So you will feel the astringent oiliness, the consonance of a delicate aroma and taste. If this option is not to your liking, the delicacy is consumed exclusively with the help of silver utensils.

Metal spoons change the taste of the product for the worse.

3. Drink champagne.

Black caviar is combined with oysters, egg white, hard cheese, creamy sauces, puff pastry, lemon, pancakes. The delicacy cannot be combined with fruits and confectionery.

A popular dish is rolls with black caviar and salmon.

Criterias of choice

Black caviar is an expensive product that is often counterfeited by unscrupulous manufacturers. ^[15]. As a basis, schemers use pike grains, which are very similar in taste to sturgeon and beluga.

In a fake delicacy all the eggs are the same size, go one to another. And in the present – on the contrary, they are different, since there are no ideal forms in nature.

Grains of a good high-quality product are glossy and have a fresh, buttery taste, which clearly shows notes of salty sea water.

What should I look for? ^[16]

1. Price. The fair value for 50 grams of black caviar varies from $50 to $120, depending on the variety and type of sturgeon. The press is packaged in special sealed packages or large jars, the weight of which is 120 grams. The price of such a jar starts at $120. If the product is much cheaper, be sure that you have a fake.
2. Manufacturer. For many years, black caviar was mined only in the Caspian Sea. For 15 years, the number of sturgeons has decreased by 38,5 times. Today, in order to avoid the extinction of the species, they are grown artificially on farms (aquaculture enterprises). Under these conditions, thanks to modern technologies, caviar is obtained in a gentle way, after which the females do not die, but continue their life cycle.

According to expert data, as of 2009, 20 tons of food sturgeon caviar were produced from the aquaculture of European countries. At the same time, the leading positions are occupied by Moldova (300 kilograms), Romania (500 kilograms), Bulgaria (5 tons), Russia (12 tons).

Large enterprises of aquaculture farms are Beluga, Raskat (Astrakhan), Caviar Court food processing (Saudi Arabia), Karat Caviar (Israel), Aquatir (Moldova), Qinjiang, Shandong, “Heilongjiang” (China).

Illegal sturgeon caviar mining is now widespread, putting a heavy burden on the world’s ecosystem. ^[17]. According to the statistics of Russian law enforcement agencies, the domestic market of the state is 90% poaching.

Interestingly, in order to restore the sturgeon population, commercial fishing in the Caspian Sea was prohibited until 2017. ^[18].

3. Container, accompanying documents. Black caviar is packaged in glass and tin cans. In the first case, the packaging allows the buyer to inspect the product for color and grain size. The shelf life of pasteurized caviar in glass jars does not exceed 24 years, pressed – 9 months.

To check the quality of a product packed in a tin, shake the container. If you hear gurgling, then the product contains a large amount of liquid, which reduces the specific gravity of the delicacy. Avoid this purchase.

Remember that a quality product is always certified. A bona fide producer provides accompanying documents stating that the caviar is obtained legally, has a CITES permit, and is obtained from sturgeon that is grown in aquaculture.

4. Appearance. Depending on the maturity of the caviar, its color varies from gray-brown to silver-black, and the size of the grains from small to large. Also, pay attention to the quality of the product. Grains should not be the same size, whole, not dented. The most expensive product with light, large eggs.
5. Taste and smell. High-quality black caviar emits a faint marine aroma that only a person with a heightened sense of smell can catch. A sharp and strong smell of fish is a sign of a spoiled product or a fake.

Real black caviar has a delicate, lightly salted taste with creamy and nutty notes. If after tasting acidity, excessive salinity or bitterness is felt, the use of the product should be discarded. It’s most likely corrupted. Remember, salt retains moisture, which leads to an increase in the weight of the delicacy. This is used by unscrupulous sellers. Such a product does not resemble caviar, but rather a sticky mass with a sharp specific smell.

In order not to spoil the taste of a noble delicacy, it is served in glass, porcelain vases or small caviar bowls, set in dishes filled with crushed ice. A silver, bone or mother-of-pearl spoon is served with the dish, excluding contact with base metals. They worsen the taste of black caviar.

Interesting Facts

1. The largest purchase of black caviar in the history of mankind belongs to singer George Benson, who, in honor of his 50 jubilee, bought 3 tons of gourmet produce for 3 million dollars.
2. Black caviar is a strong aphrodisiac. It contains a record amount of mineral compounds and vitamins that accelerate recuperation, regulate metabolism and increase sexual performance.
3. Once Charlie Chaplin was paid as a fee for the 4 film kilogram of black caviar.
4. Children of women who consumed black caviar at least 2 times a week 2 months before conception and during pregnancy suffered from rickets less often and were less sick.
5. The most expensive caviar in the world – beluga “Almas” ^[19]. The color of the grains is white, the cost of a kilogram is $ 23. It is extracted from fish whose age has crossed the mark of 000 years. The Iranian company House Almas packs caviar in jars made of pure gold. It is believed that the consistency and taste of the product depends on the age of the beluga. The older the fish, the more tender the caviar.
6. Representatives of peoples who often feed on caviar have a higher life expectancy.
7. Caviar is a product of youth. The nutrients that make up the “black gold” slow down aging, skin laxity, and activate the production of collagen. This product is often used in cosmetology to inhibit processes that cause aging of the dermis.

The composition of the anti-aging mask includes black caviar (10 grams), egg yolk (one), aloe juice (20 milliliters). These components enhance the action of each other, have anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating effects.

8. Black caviar contains more iron (2,5 milligrams per 100 grams) than apples (2,1 milligrams per 100 grams).

Conclusion

Black caviar is a delicacy that characterizes a beautiful life and the world standard of well-being. At all times, the product has been a universally recognized symbol of exceptional luxury. Sturgeon caviar or “black gold” strengthens the immune system, prolongs life, enhances sexual desire, fills with energy and vitality. It is rich in lecithin, phosphorus, iron, sodium, iodine, amino acids, including aspartic and glutamine, omega-3, omega-6, vitamins A, D, E, C, B.

The most valuable is large beluga caviar with a grain diameter of 3,5 millimeters, silvery in color.

In the old days, “black gold” was given to exhausted and seriously ill people to speed up the recovery process.

The best drink that does not drown out the piquant taste of the delicacy and is in harmony with caviar, is considered vodka.

Black caviar is served with oysters, onions, hot white wheat bread, as a snack for champagne.

Interestingly, fish of the sturgeon family are grown in aquaculture farms to reduce the likelihood of extinction of the species. In the wild, its production is limited by law ^[20].

Black caviar is recommended to be included in the diet of pregnant women, adolescents and people with increased mental activity, as it increases hemoglobin and barrier functions of the body, calms the nervous system, and prevents cramps in the calf muscles.

In the process of choosing a delicacy, give preference to a product in a glass container, in which the grains fit snugly together. High-quality black caviar should not contain voids and liquid. If all the grains are the same ideal size, be sure that you have a fake in front of you. Natural caviar does not happen without “embryo eyes”.

The product packaged in an iron can must contain information on the date of manufacture on the metal lid (raised figures squeezed out from the inside). If they are pressed, then this is an imitation of a natural product.

Buy delicacy only from reputable manufacturers.

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