As you already know, caviar is a delicacy obtained from sturgeon eggs. What you may not know is that wild sturgeon is one of the most endangered species in the world. The most at risk sturgeon species are the beluga, also the most expensive caviar variety, closely followed by the ossetra. Caviar is a delicacy appreciated since ancient times, going far back to the Byzantine Greeks and Russian tsars. No wonder sturgeon wild stock is almost depleted, given the aggressive overfishing. In this context, caviar farms come as the eco-friendly alternative that saves the… plate.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature states that more than 85% of all sturgeon species have almost gone extinct. This is why environmental authorities have enforced a number of measures of protection. For instance, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service officially banned the import of beluga caviar from the Caspian and Black seas, starting 2005. Consequently, in 2008 and 2011, Russia has suspended wild caviar production, in order for the wild stock to get replenished.
But with an increase in caviar demand, what are caviar producers to do to keep business afloat? The global caviar market is worth over 280 million dollars. Also, a mere teaspoon of caviar can be worth more than a 3-course family meal. The answer lies in sustainable caviar farming. With a larger appetite for caviar signaled in recent years, more caviar farms have been set up. Why? They wanted to provide sturgeon roe in an environmentally friendly manner.
Wild sturgeon is still poached, especially the most exquisite varieties. All this time, caviar farms have slowly become the better source for all caviar retailers. The first caviar farms have been created in the early 1990s. Fast forward to today, European farms are among the top caviar providers in the world. These farms operate by respecting strict ethical standards, in line with the Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES).
Table of Contents
How are sturgeon raised in caviar farms?
Commercial harvesting and processing of caviar is an actual trend. Fortunately, it is a very healthy and environmentally responsible one. The main reason for it is that, with caviar farms, overfishing in the wild can become history. You might ask: “but isn’t egg harvesting stressful for captive sturgeon as well?”. As previously mentioned, caviar farms operate on a strict protocol which also implies raising sturgeon via aquaculture.
This means that young sturgeon are fed only with high-protein foodstuff, during day and night. That happens because very young fish need constant feeding. Once they mature, they no longer require frequent feeding.
Sturgeon diet is closely monitored and supplemented with good bacteria in order to eliminate toxic metabolites. Hygiene is also important! So, all tanks are cleaned regularly, to make sure the fish have a healthy environment to grow in.
As they grow, so does the tank size. Basically, once the young sturgeon have matured, they are moved to larger containers, to have enough space to thrive. Sturgeon are very sensitive creatures, and any form of stress can impact the quality of the roe.
Why does the water quality matter?
Water quality is also a serious matter. In order to keep the fish happy and healthy, there are oxygen circuits that flow through the tanks to remove carbon dioxide metabolized by the sturgeon. Also, the water is regularly filtered through screens, thus kept fresh.
It is important to understand that, before caviar is obtained, sturgeon need to be properly raised. A sturgeon is ready for egg harvesting in about 10 years of maturing. Depending on the size of the sturgeon and species, the roe can amount up to 18% of its weight. Think about very large fish, that can grow to about 3 feet in length.
A fun fact about sturgeon is that you cannot determine its sex just by inspecting it. This is the reason why caviar farms use ultrasound devices to determine the sex of the fish and make predictions about when the fish will be ready for harvesting.
How is caviar harvested and processed in dedicated farms?
The first thing to know about sturgeon roe harvesting is that it requires very gentle handling. If the sturgeon are under pressure, they have the ability to reabsorb their own eggs. This implies sending them back to growth tanks, were they will be kept for another 1 to 2 years, until their eggs can be harvested again. To avoid this, caviar farmers are very careful when it comes to harvesting sturgeon roe.
Steps in harvesting roe in caviar farms
The very first step is taking small samples, or biopsies, to determine egg size, color and quality. These are all important elements in caviar ranking, and caviar farms are very strict when it comes to product quality.
Since eggs account for a large part of the sturgeon’s size, you can tell that we are talking about thousands of eggs produced per fish. However, not all sturgeon are made equal, and each variety needs specific maturing protocols and can be harvested at different ages. For instance, beluga and ossetra usually require more maturing time, because they are among the largest fish of their species.
When it is time for egg harvesting, the sturgeon are cleaned in fresh water tanks, in order to remove any undesired flavors. Every single step of the process implies gentle care, so as to not stress out the sturgeon. They need to be relaxed during growth, but also during harvesting.
How do they get caviar out of a fish
Once the fish have been purged, they are sedated and the ovaries are removed via stripping – a special method by which caviar is extracted through a small incision. With this method, the sturgeon is no longer able to produce eggs. This usually applies to senior fish that need to be taken out of the harvesting circuit.
Conversely, for sturgeon that can still produce eggs in future years, a different harvesting method is applied. This can either be a C-section or a gentler method that implies massaging the roe out and thus permitting the female sturgeon to keep producing eggs.
The roe is out: what’s next?
Upon harvesting, the sturgeon eggs are very fragile and need to be handled with great care. The first step is to gently remove the eggs from their protective membrane.
Next, the sturgeon roe is rinsed multiple times with fresh, cold water and all broken or inadequate eggs are sorted out. This is also manual labor and it requires tweezers to take out all impurities and unusable eggs.
Once cleaned and refined, the eggs are poured in a mesh colander, so as to remove all the water, and then are sent in for processing.
The curation process
Caviar processing mostly depends on the curation recipe of each caviar farm. However, the standard protocol consists of first weighing in the sturgeon roe, then salting it for optimal flavor. The amount of salt used varies from one curation method to another, and only very fine, quality salt is used in the process. Apart from flavor, salt is also an excellent, natural preserver, adding much to caviar’s shelf life.
The best curation method, that requires light salting, is called malossol. Malossol caviar has a small, less than 5% salt content, and is considered the best caviar out there. Salted caviar (more than 8%) is processed via the semi-preservation method that expands the product’s shelf life, but also takes away from its flavor. You might be surprised to learn that there is also super salted caviar, with a salt content higher than 10%. This specific variety is named payusnaya and has Russian origins. In this form, caviar looks more like a jello and can last more than 3 months on shelves.
Once the salt curation process is completed, the caviar is set for cooling for a couple of hours, to absorb the salt and form the flavor. After that, it is once again drained for excess water, in a mesh colander, and dried out with paper towels.
How is caviar set out on the market?
Before caviar is sent in for retailing, it goes through packaging. Caviar comes in lacquer lined tins, for best preservation. The eggs cannot be exposed to sunlight, which is why tins are preferred. Also, the tins are gently filled in by hand, in order to not break the eggs, and need to be filled to the brim. The reason for this is that air can lead to oxidation which can then spoil the caviar. After filling them in, the tins are sealed in an air-tight manner.
You might think that this is the final step of the process. However, there is one more to go – aging. Yes, caviar needs to be aged for approximately 3 months, before it hits the market. Aging is extremely important, because it allows for flavor creation, with all its subtle notes and nuances. Depending on caviar variety, the aging process can last even longer. However, aging is done in specialized refrigerating containers, to avoid perishability.
Ways to store and ship caviar
Once caviar has been aged, it is then exported to retailers. Fresh caviar may be stored in for about a month, sometimes less. Some retailers prefer pasteurized caviar, that has a longer shelf life and can be stored for almost a year at room temperature. However, established caviar house brands will never go for pasteurized caviar. Pasteurization, although it secures the integrity of the product, it also spoils the texture and flavor of the eggs, which is exactly what caviar lovers are looking forward to.
Furthermore, certain caviar farms offer an alternative for better preservation, which includes freezing and dehydrating the sturgeon roe, a method that will also prolong shelf life. This preservation method might be not so intrusive with caviar taste, but it is not a 1 on 1 alternative for fresh caviar.
How expensive is it to have your own caviar farm?
Although we cannot provide an actual estimate, it is safe to say that the caviar business is for the wealthy, willing and eager. Although you don’t have to be in the Forbes 500, you will still need a solid initial investment budget to get the business running.
Caviar farming starts with obtaining all required licenses for sturgeon raising and harvesting. In order to receive your licenses, you need to create a site plan, which will be assessed and approved or rejected by the health and environment authority of your region.
Later on, the site will need plenty of resources for building, and you will also require young and healthy sturgeon species to populate it. Keep in mind that, aside farm expenses, there are regular environmental fees to pay and caviar shipping and handling should also be taken care of.
Lastly, caviar farming is a long, intricate process that requires well trained staff, patience and resources, so setting up such a business might be a challenging endeavor.
So, while the wild sturgeon can thrive in his natural habitat with no menace, the caviar farms are changing the perception of the public and are amongst the best examples for sustainability.