Now black caviar is classified as a gourmet product. This is due to the fact that it can only be obtained from sturgeon fish, which are considered an endangered species. Catching them is currently prohibited, but poachers do not give up their fishing. The product is expensive, so the question of how to store black caviar in the refrigerator worries people only during the holidays. The basic rules for storing such a product are necessary to know. This way you can protect it from spoilage and yourself from food poisoning. Basic rules for selection and storage in the refrigerator are further in the article.
What determines the shelf life
The shelf life of black caviar is affected by:
- degree of maturity;
- temperature when selecting raw materials;
- what kind of fish the grains were taken from (should only be live);
- time from selection to conservation;
- foreign matter;
- sanitary production conditions;
- quality of preservatives;
- transportation of raw materials and finished products;
- storage temperature.
The caviar grain must be at stage IV of maturity. This is easy to determine. A mature cell has pronounced polarity, that is, the embryo - the nucleus - is located near the shell. If fishing is carried out in compliance with the rules and regulations, then the caviar will be just like that. Poaching can be carried out at any degree of maturity.
Other parameters, unfortunately, are not under the control of the average consumer.
Granular sturgeon caviar is divided into classes:
- extra (only salt without preservatives is used in production);
- higher;
- first.
These labeling indicators indicate quality, but do not affect the shelf life.
Black granular caviar is obtained from sturgeon fish (sturgeon, beluga, kaluga, stellate sturgeon, sterlet, thorn) by “milking” or slaughtering the females
Do you know that…
Black caviar is not classified as baby food due to the presence of preservatives in it, in particular methenamine.
How to choose
The high cost of black caviar pushes many producers to fake it. In addition, today there are a large number of sturgeon farms where the fish are kept in poor conditions. The product obtained in this way is also not of high quality, due to poor nutrition of the fish. Although its advantages include low cost and naturalness.
To buy a truly good product, you need to know how to choose it.
- If caviar is sold by weight and you have the opportunity to try it, you need to pay attention to its taste. A low quality product is often bitter or sour. Sometimes it tastes like rancid fat.
- Weighed caviar should be crumbly and have a glossy surface without any patina.
- The quality of the product can also be spoiled by various preservative additives.
- Sturgeon caviar is obtained from fish in late summer , after which the product is immediately preserved. But if the packing date on the package is, for example, February , this will indicate that the product is repackaged. Or consists of raw materials that have been frozen. This significantly reduces its taste and beneficial quality.
- In a closed jar, the caviar should be packed tightly. If you shake the jar slightly, the contents should not move from side to side. If this happens, there is air inside, and the product undergoes oxidation when interacting with it.
- High-quality fresh caviar has a pleasant smell of fresh fish. If it is unnatural and harsh, and the product itself looks like a shapeless sticky substance, you should not buy it.
- You can try to hold the egg up to the light. In this product you can see a dark spot inside - the future fry. And fake caviar is made from dye, fish odor enhancer and gelatin. This egg will quickly dissolve in hot water.
- The jar in which the caviar is located should not be damaged and have traces of machine oil, etc. on the surface. Their presence indicates violations of the rules for storing and transporting the product, which should also raise red flags when purchasing it.
Shelf life according to GOST
The regulatory document for the storage of black caviar is adopted by the Interstate Council for Standardization, Metrology and Certification. However, each manufacturer has the right to set its own expiration date indicating storage conditions. This period may be less, but not more than that established by GOST.
The delicacy happens:
- pasteurized;
- unpasteurized.
This point is important to consider when studying the labeling of a product, since the duration of storage depends on it.
On the territory of the Russian Federation, the following expiration dates are accepted for unpasteurized products:
- without preservatives – no more than 2.5 months. from the date of manufacture;
- with preservative (LIV-1) – no more than 9 months.
This saving time is valid if the temperature is maintained between -4 and -2 °C.
For pasteurized caviar, other storage periods are provided at the same temperatures:
- Without preservatives: in glass containers - no more than 8 months, in metal cans - no more than 10 months.
- With preservatives (LIV-2) when packaged in both metal and glass containers - no more than 12 months.
Pressed caviar – salted and pressed products obtained from caviar grain
We recommend reading: Red caviar: how to choose and store the delicacy at home
Is it possible to freeze caviar
The delicacy is not cheap, and its shelf life when opened is limited to 7 days. Therefore, in order to preserve the taste and benefits for a longer period, it is customary to freeze black and red salted caviar. But this can only be done once - repeated freezing will negatively affect the taste and external qualities.
You should only put products in the freezer with a minimum of salt and preservatives in small portions. Plastic, glass or special bags for freezing are suitable containers.
Freezing rules:
- The plastic container is immersed in a boiled saline solution for 5–7 minutes and then wiped with a towel. This is done to keep the caviar fresh longer.
- The dried container is lubricated with a thin layer of vegetable oil (so as not to damage the caviar grains).
- A small portion is placed in a container and tightly closed with a lid.
- Then they put it in the freezer. It is better to choose the shelf that is most rarely used.
You can use the blast freezing method - place the product for 30 minutes at an extremely low temperature (about -35 degrees), and then put it in the freezer.
If these rules are followed, it can be stored for 12 months.
To defrost, remove the container from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. During this time, the delicacy will thaw and can be used. The shelf life of thawed caviar is 7 days at temperatures from -4 to -2.
It will not be possible to shorten the defrosting time - if you place the frozen delicacy in a warm place or simply take it out of the refrigerator onto the table, it will turn into porridge.
How to store in the refrigerator
In industrial and retail environments, refrigeration chambers can maintain precisely set, controlled temperatures. Regulatory parameters must be adhered to.
The household appliance does not guarantee temperature accuracy. How to store black caviar in the refrigerator to minimize defects? It is better to purchase the product immediately before use, 2-3 days in advance, but even during this period it should be maintained correctly.
In a closed jar
The storage location for such a product is near the back wall of the refrigerator - where the temperature borders on zero. You cannot store the delicacy on the door; this is the warmest place in the unit.
Even if expiration dates are acceptable, check the cap for banding (bloating) before use. Carry out periodic checks during storage as well.
Tip of the day
Right in the store, make sure that the can contains the product to the top with no voids filled with liquid or air.
In open containers and by weight
Some people buy the delicacy by weight in order to save money. But how can you determine how long black caviar can be stored if the package has already been opened in the store? And when and by whom remains a secret. In this case, you should refuse the purchase. If doubts about freshness prevail, then the product still needs to be consumed as quickly as possible.
If the package is opened in front of you, the contents should be transferred to a clean glass container or plastic container for food purposes.
What to do after bringing your purchase home:
- Pour 1-2 tbsp onto the surface. tablespoons of refined vegetable oil.
- Close the container tightly with a lid without an air gap.
- Place the jar close to the back wall of the refrigerator.
To keep the opened product fresh longer both on the festive table and in the refrigerator, it is covered with ice.
Useful information about black caviar
The first mention of black caviar was recorded in 1240. The chronicles of those times said that it was a frequent treat on the table of Khan Batu. Here are some more interesting points related to this seafood product:
- Caviar is considered a powerful aphrodisiac. The minerals in caviar restore energy and stimulate libido.
- Famous singer and guitarist George Benson ordered a record amount of black caviar for his birthday. It cost him $3 million.
- Charlie Chaplin was known for his love for this delicacy. There were cases when he was paid a fee not in monetary terms, but in black caviar.
- It has been proven that pregnant women who regularly eat this delicacy give birth to completely healthy babies. And children who also love to eat it do not suffer from rickets and get sick less.
- If a person often eats black caviar, even in old age he will look younger than his peers. This delicacy smoothes the skin and keeps muscles toned.
- It has been proven that peoples who eat black caviar live on average 10 years longer than others.
- Black caviar is actually not that black in color. It has a grayish tint, only stellate sturgeon caviar has a rich black color.
Is it possible to freeze
Sometimes the question arises: “Is it possible to freeze black caviar?” The answer is no. The eggs burst at temperatures below -4 °C. When defrosting, we obtain the skin (cell wall) and the contents of the cell itself, juice. This “composition” can no longer be called caviar.
If you have a home freezer that allows you to maintain temperature parameters from -2 to -4 °C, then freezing will be an acceptable storage condition.
Note to the hostess
If it happens that the product is frozen, it must be defrosted in a household refrigerator until completely thawed, then rinsed with sparkling water.
Storing loose caviar at home
When buying loose black caviar, you cannot be completely sure of its quality and compliance with storage conditions during transportation and sale. Never buy a product stored in an open container; it is irreparably damaged.
If you are lucky enough to buy a good product, but you do not plan to use it immediately, but want to save it for some time, follow these rules:
- I recommend making a saline solution. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in water at a temperature of 95 degrees (almost boiling water). Place the caviar in a colander and rinse it with the resulting solution, allowing the liquid to drain completely.
- After this, package the product in glass jars and sterilize the lids. Try to lay it as tightly as possible, but without compacting it. There should be no voids inside the container.
- Fill the contents of the jar with odorless vegetable oil. I recommend using olive oil; it will not change the taste of the caviar.
Place a lid on the jar or cover it with oil-soaked paper. If the caviar on the surface dries out, add a little more oil and carefully mix the contents of the container.
Attention! Using this method allows you to preserve caviar for up to 4 months, but remember that before each use you need to carefully inspect the product and evaluate its smell.
Store at room temperature, on the go
The delicacy is served at the table at the last moment; it cannot be stored at room temperature. Sandwiches can be prepared 1-2 hours in advance, but immediately refrigerate along with the plate.
For transportation, use a thermal bag or thermal bag. If this is not possible, prepare brine - a 7% solution of table salt. It will help preserve the product for 2-3 days. Upon arrival, rinse the caviar with water, place in a sieve and add sunflower oil.
We recommend reading: Food thermal bags: 5 uses you didn’t know about.
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Storage in a glass jar
If you choose between iron and glass jars, the second option is preferable. Glass containers are valued for three reasons:
- transparent walls do not interfere with checking the appearance of the product;
- glass does not corrode and does not affect the taste of black caviar;
- glass containers are often equipped with airtight lids.
It is correct to sell caviar in glass, but not all companies adhere to this principle. It increases the cost of production, which affects the price.
How not to buy a fake
Black caviar varies significantly in:
- price (depending on the manufacturer);
- color (from dark brown to light gray);
- grain size (second grade allows for differences in diameter).
But not a single point will indicate a fake. To avoid mistakes, take a close look at the caviar: natural sturgeon caviar should have a clearly visible polarity (the place of the embryo). Only this guarantees its naturalness.
There is an abundance of counterfeit products on the caviar market. If you doubt the product, refuse to purchase.
It is important to know!
Naturalness does not guarantee the good quality of products. If the technological parameters during production and storage are violated, it can cause poisoning.
Choosing the right one
To buy high-quality caviar, you need to consider a number of rules:
- Try caviar if it is sold by weight. If the product is bitter or sour, refuse to purchase.
- Pay attention to the appearance. Black caviar is crumbly and glossy, without a whitish coating. Caviar with light grains is valued higher. Its color is silver-black and gray-brown.
- If you see a shapeless mass on the counter, it means the manufacturer did not follow the production technique. Weighed caviar does not stick together and does not lose its shape.
- Shake the iron can with black caviar. If you find excess liquid, place the product back on the shelf. The splashes indicate that the “delicacy” is being diluted.
- The first condition for quality caviar is a fresh fishy aroma. If a product has a strong, unpleasant odor, do not eat it.
- Study the composition if the product is sold in a can. The presence of preservative additives reduces the quality of black caviar.
- Check the packing time. The expiration date is not the only date that provides important information. The month indicated on the package will tell you how many times the products have been packaged: the autumn or winter season indicates repeated repackaging;
- if the caviar got into the jar in December or February, it means it was frozen.
