
Caviar varies in color, size, taste, quality and price. With so many caviar products on the market and so many different types it is difficult to distinguish and choose the right one. Here is a simple classification and some guidelines on how to choose caviar to ensure great taste and nutritional value.
The word caviar means processed and ready to consume product consisting of fish roe (unfertilized eggs of a female fish). The two main kinds of caviar are red and black. The color, taste, appearance and size of the grains as well as price of caviar depend on the kind of fish and in some countries age of the fish. Black caviar is obtained from sturgeon and thus is often called sturgeon caviar. It is then divided as follows depending on the type of fish from sturgeon family:
Beluga caviar is obtained from beluga fish and is considered to be the most expensive. Beluga black caviar has the largest grains, reaching 2.5 mm in diameter, which are silver grey in color.
Ossetra caviar or sturgeon caviar is obtained from ossetra fish and has slightly smaller grains, a little more than 1 mm in diameter. Ossetra caviar is dark bronze in color with delicate aroma and taste.
Sterlet caviar is considered the least expensive since it has the smallest grains, which are pure black, and is obtained from sterlet, the third fish from sturgeon family. However, Sterlet caviar is not inferior to beluga’s caviar in its nutritional value.
In addition, the appearance of black caviar greatly depends on the brand and the manufacturer such as Russian Sturgeon, which is a well trusted Russian manufacturer. Good quality caviar contains of good looking shiny grains, which are not destroyed and do not stick to each other.
On the contrary, illegally produced and cheap caviar might have grains with distorted shape, color and aroma. In addition, there is always a potential that poor quality caviar has been prepared in poor sanitary conditions using roe from fishes, which were illegally taken from the ocean.
The age of fish also determines the quality of black caviar in some countries. However, many gourmets agree that there is no difference in taste; and the age of the fish only adds a rare color to caviar.
When it comes to choosing caviar for your special dinner, it is important to choose a trustworthy brand, which will guarantee a good quality product. And any kind of good quality black caviar is a delicate and healthy treat.
You can purchase sterlet black caviar from Rus-Caviar, the importer of well trusted Russian Sturgeon brand here: sturgeon caviar.
