What is caviar made of? Here's why the fish delicacy is so expensive. (2024)

FAQs

What is caviar made of? Here's why the fish delicacy is so expensive.? ›

The high cost of caviar can be attributed to its rarity and scarcity, primarily driven by the declining population of sturgeon, the fish species responsible for producing these prized fish roe. Sturgeon species, have experienced significant declines in their numbers due to overfishing and habitat destruction.

The Rarity of Sturgeon Fish

They take 8-20 years to mature, and females don't produce eggs annually, making availability unpredictable. This limited availability of eggs contributes to caviar's extremely high prices.

Traditionally, the term caviar refers only to roe from wild sturgeon in the Caspian Sea and Black Sea (beluga, ossetra and sevruga caviars). The term caviar can also describe the roe of other species of sturgeon or other fish such as paddlefish, salmon, steelhead, trout, lumpfish, whitefish, or carp.

The fish is washed in purified water and the eggs are removed by one of two ways: C-Section method: A small incision is made on the female sturgeon's belly and their eggs are carefully scooped out. After all the roe has been removed the fish is sewn back up and bandaged.

Caviar is so special because the finest caviar is in short supply. Caviar is popular because of its taste, health benefits, and limited quantity. Most quality caviar is now farm raised as many species of sturgeon are critically endangered.

In 2005, the United States made it illegal to import beluga caviar and beluga sturgeon into the country, because of the animal's endangered status. However, caviar from beluga hybrid species are still for sale in the country.

Yes. Caviar is one of the most nutritious foods in the world. It offers a vast list of vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats and helps boost your immune system. Additionally, it is beneficial for people suffering from depression due to its high omega-3 content, which helps boost your mood.

Fish roe that comes from a sturgeon is typically classified as black caviar since these eggs take on a darker color. Meanwhile, orange, red and yellow fish roe often come from salmon, whitefish or trout.

This delicacy comes from a fish, yet it is not (and shouldn't be) overly fishy. It will always have a mild fishiness and slight saltiness, but the taste of caviar is more like ocean water rather than an in-your-face fish flavor.

Preserving Delicate Flavors and Textures

Caviar's rich flavor and unique texture are best appreciated when it's consumed in its raw form.

Who eats the most caviar? ›

France is the largest consumer market for caviar in the EU, followed by Germany and Spain. Other main caviar consuming countries are the USA, Japan, Russia, and China as well as Canada, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and Australia.

Look out for texture, as well — you shouldn't see any kind of buildup or residue on the eggs. A surplus of liquid is another tell-tale sign your caviar is fake, particularly if its hue doesn't match the eggs. Counterfeit caviar doesn't taste the same as true sturgeon roe; it's often bland with an unsatisfying texture.

Caviar can be a great treat as it is rich in protein and it contains a high level of a few essential vitamins and minerals. It's also easy to keep it at home to use as a quick snack as caviar preparation is simple: Spread it on crackers, use it as a salad topping, or eat it plain if you enjoy the unique, salty flavor.

In traditional caviar harvesting, sturgeons are killed to extract the roe, impacting the caviar's sustainability and conservation efforts. Caviar quality is also influenced by the condition of the fish during the harvesting process.

Caviar is a world-famous delicacy known for its pearly appearance, rarity, prestige, and of course, its astronomical prices. While some caviar like the widely recognized Beluga goes for well over $7,500 a kilo, others go for as little as $60 a kilo.