What is the shelf life of red and black caviar in a plastic container and tin?

Rules

Quality is regulated by the state through standards:

1. GOST 18173-2004 “Granular salmon caviar in jars. Technical Specifications" contains labeling requirements: goods with the word "ICRA" are sold domestically, "C" is for import, has an indication of the type of fish, and lists organoleptic, chemical, and physical indicators.
2. GOST 55486-2013 “Sturgeon caviar” contains requirements for the appearance, taste, smell, consistency, and composition of canned black caviar.
3. GOST 20352-2012 “Salted delicacy. Technical specifications" includes assortment numbers of various types.
4. GOST 1629-2015 “Grained salmon in transport packaging”.
5. GOST 33430-2015 “Canned fish caviar and milt. Technical specifications" describes the varieties and composition of canned caviar.
6. GOST 31793-2012 “Frozen granular salmon caviar” provides requirements for freezing temperature and the quality of thawed goods.
7. GOST 32003-2012 “Sturgeon caviar. Technical conditions".
8. GOST 7368-2013 “Pressed caviar of sturgeon fish”.

Marking

For tin cans it is produced according to a principle similar to other canned food. At the bottom there are two or three rows of convex symbols:

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• the first row contains information about the date of manufacture: 02102018, the expiration date is indicated on the label;
• the second is the word “caviar”;
• the third is the letter P, which means the fishing industry, grade.

For example, 250817 CAVIAR P1 means that it was produced on 08/25/2017 and belongs to the first grade.

On glass and plastic containers, similar information is contained on the lid or label. You can also find out the composition. There, the manufacturer is obliged to indicate all additives and preservatives that were used during preparation.

Ideal caviar option

To summarize what has been said, I would like to summarize all the qualities of ideal red caviar into a single list:

• Glass container, hermetically sealed
• Correctly formatted label:

• Name on the label “Granular salmon caviar”, type (chum salmon, pink salmon, sockeye salmon), grade 1
• Full information about the manufacturer, date of manufacture, expiration date
• The list of ingredients includes only caviar, salt and 1-2 preservatives

• Perfect look

• The appearance of the eggs is beyond doubt: whole, uniform in color, not wrinkled, tightly located in the jar. At the same time, they separate well when placed on a sandwich.
• Absence of any foreign inclusions in the jar: sediment, mold, blood clots, torn shells, noticeable drops of vegetable oil.
• The consistency is dense, not liquid.

• The taste is medium salty, without sharp bitterness.

Unfortunately, you can be 100% sure of caviar only if you make it yourself at home. However, following our advice will help you choose the right red caviar and reduce the risk of purchasing a low-quality or counterfeit product.

Author Ksenia Poddubnaya

Photo: flickr.com

Timing and types

The rules for maintaining the freshness of an opened product are as follows: it is advisable to transfer it from a tin can into a glass container with a lid and put it in the refrigerator.

If the original packaging is a plastic container, it is also necessary to reduce contact with oxygen to slow down spoilage and store at low temperatures. Must be consumed within 3 days and discard any leftovers. When the salt concentration is high, the storage period can be extended to a week.

How to store red caviar by weight

When buying a delicacy by weight, you will have to independently ensure maximum safety. Prepare glass jars of the required volume, sterilize in boiling water or microwave. Place the caviar in them and close the lid tightly. It is advisable to use the product within 3-5 days.

When purchasing, ask the seller for documents guaranteeing the quality of the delicacy. Take a sample - this will help assess freshness.

If you have doubts about the seller’s integrity and freshness, you should not buy a perishable delicacy by weight. Packaged caviar is expensive, but not so expensive as to risk your own and the health of your friends and loved ones at the festive table.

When serving dishes with red caviar or smoked fish, they must be consumed within two hours. Experts recommend preparing sandwiches and other delicacy dishes immediately before serving.

In plastic

If all conditions are met, the delicacy in sealed plastic will be stored for about 6 months, and after opening up to 4 weeks. Processing a container of red caviar includes the following steps:

1. The container is thoroughly washed and rinsed thoroughly so that no particles of detergent remain. Whenever possible, avoid using dishwashing chemicals.
2. Plastic containers are immersed in boiled saline solution for 5-7 minutes. Ratio for liquid: 4 tablespoons of salt per 1 liter of boiling water.
3. The containers are thoroughly dried.
4. The inner surface of the container is lubricated with vegetable oil.

Additional Information:

• When packaging the delicacy, you need to ensure that the minimum amount of air entering the contents of the container. To do this, the eggs are placed tightly to each other, leaving no empty space.

Storage

Fish derivatives are a rather capricious product, so you must strictly adhere to the storage rules specified by the manufacturer for periods of use. They can be very different.

Even though the product is canned, storage differs from similar products. The rules are as follows:

• maintaining a constant temperature -2...-6 °C;
• protection from temperature changes and exposure to sunlight;
• tightness of the container, maximum reduction of contact with the environment.

The only place that can provide the above conditions is the refrigerator. You need to place it there immediately after purchase, and you need to use the coldest places: the freshness department or the area near the wall.

A freezer would also be a good place. It will extend the shelf life of the product. However, it is important to remember that the product cannot withstand repeated freezing and thawing. That is, this method can be used once. The problem will be solved by portion storage in separate small containers or bags.

After defrosting, consume immediately. Such rough influence leads to a change in taste, loss of some nutrients, and consistency. It becomes more viscous, soft, mushy.

ADVICE! The most suitable freezing temperature is about -18 °C.

Red and black

The concept of storage is more likely to apply to closed packaging, since after opening the shelf life rapidly decreases from several months to 3 days. Therefore, it is recommended to consume immediately after depressurization of the jar. If this is not possible, outdoor exposure should be kept to a minimum. The covered jar should be kept in the refrigerator.

Buying in bulk is dangerous. It is unknown how long it has been in contact with the environment, what chemical and biological processes have begun.

The only plus is the opportunity to evaluate the appearance, smell, taste. However, it is recommended to purchase only hermetically sealed product from the store.

In a plastic container

Must be placed in the refrigerator immediately. Freezing is also allowed. Storage open should not exceed 3-7 days, closed - less than in other containers - about 5-6 months.

In a tin can

Tin oxidizes upon contact with the environment, so the contents of the jar must be transferred to a glass container and stored in the refrigerator.

In glass

Glass is the most acceptable storage option, but it is not suitable for freezing. Through it you can see the eggs. The downside is that glass does not protect the contents from sunlight. After purchase, the jar, covered with a lid, should be stored at low temperatures.

ADVICE! To minimize the damage from freezing, it is necessary to remove the product from the state gradually. To begin, move the container to the refrigerator shelf, and only after thawing - to the table.

How to identify a delay?

You need to buy caviar slowly, paying special attention to its packaging. After all, branded products are always marked with the date of manufacture, storage conditions and expiration date.

The second important point when choosing a fish delicacy is the appearance of the packaging. Thus, dirty, wrinkled or swollen containers indicate improper transportation and, most likely, improper storage. The best way to tell about the quality of the product is a glass jar, in which you can see literally every egg. So, if there is no plaque or unknown liquid in the caviar and it is uniform in color, then it is of high quality and fresh.

It is also quite easy to determine whether caviar is out of date. You can try it and personally fully appreciate its smell, consistency and taste.

Caviar by weight

Meanwhile, good caviar should not stick together into one lump; each egg in it should be easily separated from each other. Of course, if there is bitterness in the caviar, this most likely signals that the caviar has either expired or is approaching its expiration date.

What affects shelf life

Looking at the packaging, we can draw a conclusion about the production process and the composition of the product, since they are directly interrelated. The period of use depends on:

1. Concentrations of preservatives. If there are a minimum of them, the product will be good for up to 1-2 months. A natural preservative is salt; it fully preserves taste, color, and freshness for a specified period. To increase it, the manufacturer adds artificial substances, which are best avoided. With them, suitability for use will last up to a year.
2. Tara. Tin, glass, and plastic keep the contents fresh in different ways. Each has positive and negative characteristics. Tin oxidizes from contact with the external environment, does not allow the contents to be assessed before opening, but ensures tightness. Therefore, for example, salmon can be stored in an iron can for about a year. Glass ones should be stored in a box or dark room. Plastic retains its properties much less than other options.
3. Pasteurization is the process of eliminating pathogenic microorganisms from a product. If it is produced well, no bacteria remain and the pure product is instantly sealed in an airtight container, thus prolonging its shelf life.
4. Compliance with storage conditions. Even complete preliminary preparation and packaging will not yield results if the product is kept at room temperature or allowed to come into contact with oxygen.

IMPORTANT! Storing outside the refrigerator at room temperature is strictly prohibited.

Closed jar of caviar

Tin and glass packaging is stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 0 - +4 degrees (this is the coldest shelf) for 12 months. Consider how the packaging was stored at the point of sale. If the jar was just sitting on the shelf without refrigeration, refuse to buy it.

The freshness and how long caviar will be stored in plastic packaging in the refrigerator depends on factors:

• storage conditions of the seller;
• tightness of plastic containers;
• quantity and composition of preservatives in the product;
• date of packaging.

How to extend the storage period

There is only one way to increase it - proper storage. When purchasing, you need to carefully study the dates indicated by the manufacturer; do not purchase a product with an expiring period. It is also better to calculate the packaging, which can be consumed at one time.

After delivery home, immediately put it in the refrigerator without opening it. Do not reach before consumption. Place the required amount on a plate and return the rest to the refrigerator, covering with a lid.

When you need to preserve it for a long time, the freezer is the solution; frozen caviar can be stored for up to 2 years.

If we are talking about self-cooking, then the period will directly depend on the amount of salt. The more it is, the longer the freshness, color, and integrity of the eggs will remain. But you need to take into account that excess salt spoils the taste, so it is better to adhere to the principle of moderation.

How to return expired caviar to the store

The Consumer Rights Protection Law gives you the right to refuse a product of inadequate quality, demand a replacement product or a refund. Here you can refer to the articles:

1. Article 18 - the rights of buyers when identifying defects in the purchased product;
2. Article 19 - deadlines for filing claims;
3. Article 21 - replacement of defective goods.

The absence of a receipt or other document is not a basis for the store’s refusal to return money or replace a defective product.

Download for viewing and printing:

Article 18 of the Law of the Russian Federation dated 02/07/1992 No. 2300-1 “Consumer rights when defects are detected in a product”

Article 19 of the Law of the Russian Federation dated 02/07/1992 No. 2300-1 “Time limits for submitting claims by the consumer regarding product defects”

Article 21 of the Law of the Russian Federation dated 02/07/1992 No. 2300-1 “Replacement of goods of inadequate quality”

How to understand that it has gone bad

It is quite easy to identify by external signs and organoleptic properties:

1. Long-term storage leads to the destruction of the protein shell of the eggs, so there is a lot of liquid, they lose their elasticity and density.
2. Oxidation of fats gives the product a bitter taste, foreign odor, and causes color changes.
3. The presence of plaque, mold, or crust indicates contact with air. If we are talking about mold, removing the top layer will not solve the problem, since the fungus infects the entire volume.

Signs of quality products

If caviar is sold in metal cans, the consumer is not able to determine the quality of the product by appearance. Here you will have to focus on the markings, which indicate the date of manufacture. In addition, it is recommended to pay attention to the integrity of the container : granular caviar is stored only in sealed packaging, so damage to the jar or swelling of the lid clearly indicates a product that is unfit for consumption. When choosing products in glass jars, you need to pay attention to external signs. GOST directly states that the eggs must be whole and have a uniform, uniform color. The presence of blood clots or film in the mass indicates poor quality products.

Important! Uneven color is allowed for coho and sockeye salmon caviar.