Which salmon caviar is better to buy? What time of the year you shouldn't buy red caviar and why. Which red caviar is better than chum salmon or pink salmon

Since New Year on the nose, then it's time to figure out how to choose the right festive delicacy like CAVIAR... For starters: if you choose which caviar to buy - loose, in a tin or glass jar, it is better to give preference to the latter. Bulk caviar is susceptible to harmful bacteria, and the main disadvantage of tin packaging is that such caviar cannot be considered. Therefore, it remains to follow the following the rules:

1. The can of caviar should not be swollen or deformed; caviar should be tightly rolled up. Press down on the lid of the can of red caviar with your finger. It should not protrude and in no case should it be swollen.

2. When buying caviar in tin and glass jars, make sure that it does not "dangle" inside, overflowing from edge to edge, but fills the jar tightly without voids. Feel free to shake the jar before purchasing. If nothing gurgles in it, caviar has a chance to be on your table 🙂

3. The markings on the lid must be stamped (extruded) from the inside. If the marking is printed, then pay attention to its alphabetic and numerical composition. The complete set in the case of Russian caviar includes the date of manufacture of the product (salting, but not rolling), the “Caviar” assortment mark, the number of the manufacturer, the number of the shift, and the index of the fishing industry “P”.

4 ... Be sure to read the information on the label. It usually contains salt, corn or sunflower oil, as well as glycerin and preservatives. Sorbic acid (E200) or sodium benzonate (E211) can be added as preservatives. Avoid caviar with the addition of urotropine (E239) - decaying, this preservative forms formalin. In the USA and Europe, urotropine has long been recognized as a toxic substance, in Russia it has been banned from using it since 2010.

5. Pay attention to the packing date of the caviar. Salmon spawn from July to September. This means that high-quality caviar should be harvested precisely during these months. There should be no more than six months between the date of production and packaging.

6 ... Caviar in a glass jar can be examined visually. When turning the jar, high-quality caviar should not immediately begin to crawl along the walls. Look at the jar with red caviar in the light - there should be no burst eggs or foreign objects in the caviar. The grain of red caviar should not be cloudy, with one dark point.

The shades of caviar directly depend on the type of fish. Chum salmon caviar is orange with a red glint, the eggs are rather small, the film is thin and elastic. It is considered the most delicious. But the most common is pink salmon caviar. Pink salmon eggs are orange and light orange. Sockeye salmon caviar has a dark red color and a peculiar taste. If the caviar is completely pale or yellow, it means that it is overripe and has lost its taste.

7. To make sure that the production technology is consistent, look on the jar for a link to GOST (state standard) - this is a sure sign that the caviar was packaged near the place where the fish was caught, and no more than a month had passed between catching and getting into the jar. If the bank has a link to TU (technical specifications), this may indicate that frozen caviar was used in the production or that it contains ingredients that are not provided for by GOST.

8. After you open the jar of caviar, you should not be overtaken by the smell of fresh fish. In artificial caviar, herring milk is used as a perfume, so a strong fishy smell gives out a fake. It tastes hard and very salty. If you doubt which caviar you bought - real or artificial, conduct a simple experiment: throw 2-3 eggs into a glass of hot water, the artificial caviar will dissolve in boiling water.

Summing up, we deduce "Recipe" for perfect caviar: a sealed hermetically sealed glass container with a properly designed label (the name is "Granular salmon caviar", type (humpback salmon, chum salmon, coho salmon), 1st grade, complete information about the manufacturer, date of manufacture expiration date, and only caviar, salt and one or two preservatives), in appearance: all eggs are whole, uniform in color, tightly located in the jar, there is no sediment, blood clots, torn membranes or noticeable drops vegetable oil, the consistency is dense, not liquid.

The old product is packed in the green jars we are used to.

Friends from Kamchatka told me that red caviar is a seasonal product.

The height of the salmon fishing season is from mid-July to mid-September, - they taught me. - At this time, the caviar is the freshest. But, like any product, it has its own shelf life: a maximum of until March. After that, it is better not to eat caviar.

Friends living in the middle lane did not even think about this topic, we have to educate them. But many are waving their hand: they say, a month more, a month less, we will not get poisoned, but caviar for festive table- sacred.

They are right about the poisoning: fortunately, completely rotten caviar on our counters is a rarity. But the old, frozen, processed with many preservatives - no. Therefore, when planning to spend money on an expensive product, follow a few rules.

Buy and eat caviar only from August to March. Everything that is sold in the remaining months could have been in the freezer for five years. At sub-zero temperatures, the caviar does not deteriorate, but shrivels and releases juices (red liquid, probably seen at the bottom of the jar). The more it is, the longer the product has been frozen. Sometimes up to half a bank turns out. But you pay for the full.

The best way out: buy caviar in August-September and freeze it in your refrigerator. At this time, the chance to run into old caviar is minimal, and it will lie in the freezer without losing its taste until March. The caviar should be thawed slowly in the refrigerator compartment.

Forget green jars! This is the calculation of cunning manufacturers for nostalgia and habit. As one supplier whispered to me in secret, the factories mainly go to caviar, which has just begun to deteriorate and cannot be sold by weight. There, preservatives, taste improvers and other nasty things are plentifully added to it, rolled up in green jars and taken to stores.

The only preservative, and indeed an additive that should be in caviar, is salt. How much is a matter of taste. Just keep in mind: more salt is added so that the product is stored longer, or into unripe caviar - its shell is thin, and without a sufficient amount of salt, it will turn into porridge.

Catch, fish, big and small

The fish on the shelves of our stores is all year round. However, the catch of commercial species is also carried out seasonally. And if in March you see chilled pink salmon on the showcase, you should know that it is defrosted, it would not have lived so much in the refrigerator since September. However, even frozen fish should not be stored longer than six months, and canned fish not eternal. Be sure to see the production date on the cans. If it coincides with the fishing season, it's good, if not, then the canned food is made from a frozen product.

The New Year has its own culinary traditions, which are honored by almost all Russian families: Olivier on the table, tangerines, champagne and sandwiches with red caviar. If everything is clear with the first three, then how to choose the right red caviar? The product is expensive, but before the New Year news comes from all over the country: a cheap delicacy has been “thrown out” on the shelves. For example, now in various micro-districts of Nizhny, they trade from trays in 95-gram cans of 250-300 rubles each. Almost a freebie! Many grab dozens of them. And only then do they find out that the contents of the cans are either frozen or not caviar at all.

Leninsky district of Nizhny Novgorod, stop "Engine of the revolution", a woman stood in the store with a table of red caviar, residents report. - Thank God, we bought only one jar - 300 rubles. Bottom line: it turned out to be protein. Please warn parents, acquaintances, if you see - report to the appropriate authorities!

I also bought in a stall from "Indigo", like a mini-market, - continued the theme of Nizhny Novgorod Ilya. - The caviar was frozen slurry.

There are so many complaints now that Komsomolskaya Pravda decided to draw up a set of rules on how to choose the right quality red caviar and not get into trouble. Together with an expert from the State Regional Center of Rosstandart in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Lyubov Malafeeva, we went to one of the largest shopping centers in the city.

Question squarely

Which container is better?

Eyes run wild from the abundance of red caviar in the store. Tin cans, glass jars, loose caviar ... Which one to choose?

Only tin and glass containers can keep the quality of caviar, - Lyubov Malafeeva explained. - Plastic is a temporary package that can be used when buying loose caviar. But it’s impossible to see what is inside the tin can. Therefore, the best option is a glass jar: they will not put bad caviar in it, since you will see how it looks there. But glass containers are more expensive.

Rule one. The jar should not gurgle

If you decide to take red caviar in tin can then shake it near your ear.

If the caviar is of high quality, you will not hear gurgling, - the expert explained.

The second rule. No dents

The bank should not have dents, - said Lyubov Malafeeva. - If they are, then the jar is most likely leaking, which means that air could get there, the product oxidized and deteriorated. Also, look for bloated top and bottom of the jar. If swelling is observed, the caviar is spoiled.

Rule three. Caviar should not be cloudy

Alas, you can only appreciate the quality of canned red caviar only at home. But in a glass jar, you can see each egg.

When turning the jar, good caviar should not run down the walls, the expert explained. - And it is desirable that there are no burst eggs.

Rule four. Loose caviar - only with documents

If you buy fresh caviar, then next to the saucer there should be a plate on which the same information is written as on any bank, - said Lyubov Malafeeva. - Name, variety, caviar of what fish, date of manufacture, and so on.

The fifth rule. Examine the composition and inscriptions

Often, buyers in a hurry look only at the price, and then resent that they were deceived. But on the container it is usually thoroughly explained what the contents are. We will teach you how to read the bank correctly:

Let's look at the name: "Granular salmon caviar", 1st grade, from chilled raw materials, - the expert took the jar. - On the bottom it is written whose caviar it is. In our case, chum salmon. Next, we check how the product is made: according to the State Standard (GOST) or according to technical specifications (TU). The difference is that GOST products are made from fresh caviar. In case of TC, frozen caviar is also permissible (during freezing, part of the vitamins in the caviar is lost. - Auth.). In addition, vegetable oil can be added there. Both under GOST and TU red caviar may contain a preservative. Permissible sorbic acid(E200) and sodium benzonate (E211). Usually caviar is not stored for a long time without them.

But caviar with the addition of urotropine (E239) should be avoided: decomposing, it forms formalin, which can cause cancer or poisoning in humans, accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Rule six. Pay attention to the dates

The date of production of caviar and packaging should not differ by more than six months. Also remember that fish of the salmon family go for spawning from July to September - accordingly, red caviar should be prepared at this time. Place of production of caviar - the closer to the place of catch, the less it was still unpacked on the way.

The seventh rule. Smell

The main difference between red caviar and imitation is the smell.

When you open a jar with imitation caviar, the smell of fish and herring will immediately hit your nose, '' Lyubov Malafeeva explained. - Know - this is an imitation, most likely, some kind of gelatin. Alternatively, you can toss a couple of eggs into hot water. If the caviar is unnatural, it will dissolve.

If you were deceived, slipped protein instead of natural caviar - feel free to go and complain to Rospotrebnadzor.

Bonus. Miser pays twice

And, of course, pay attention to the price. A national delicacy cannot cost a penny. The cost directly depends on all the listed features: whether caviar is frozen, whether vegetable oil is added there, what kind of container, and so on. And let your New Year's table be set so that you yourself will not be ashamed of yourself and in front of the guests.

x Html code

How to choose the right red caviar: expert advice. Roman IGNATIEV

In Russian stores you can find caviar of various fish. It differs in color and size.

Chinook salmon: large eggs (up to 7-9 mm in diameter) of red-orange color with a delicate shell, taste with a speck.
Chum salmon: large eggs (up to 5–7 mm in diameter) of rich amber color with a dense shell, creamy taste.
Pink salmon: medium-sized eggs (3-5 mm), bright orange in color with a soft shell, familiar taste.
Coho salmon: small eggs (2-3 mm) of bright red color with an elastic shell, bitter taste.
Red salmon: small eggs of dark red color with an elastic shell, bitter taste.
Trout: the smallest eggs (up to 2 mm) are light orange in color with an elastic shell, a bitter taste.

Traditionally, caviar of chum salmon and pink salmon is considered the best in taste.

Who determines what quality caviar should be?

Document adopted at the federal level. This is GOST "Granular Salmon Caviar", approved in 2004. According to it, there are two varieties of red caviar.

Eggs of the first grade must be of the same color and size, moderately elastic, without impurities, from fish of the same species, the name of which is indicated on the bank. The second grade allows a mixture of caviar from different types of fish. In this case, the bank does not write from which ones.

Also, manufacturers can work not according to GOST, but according to TU (technical conditions). It so happens that caviar cooked according to TU turns out to be of better quality and tastier. But it is important to remember that here the manufacturer is free to compose the recipe himself.

GOST establishes rather strict requirements for the salt content: from 4 to 6% by weight of caviar for the first grade and from 4 to 7% for the second grade.

Even stricter is the Roskachestvo standard, the conformity mark to which manufacturers receive voluntarily. Salt in such a product should be no more than 3.5–5% of the total mass of caviar, regardless of its type. The addition of antibiotics is strictly prohibited.

Is it possible to identify good caviar by the jar?

Can. Read, shake, check:

The can must indicate the manufacturer, GOST or TU, type of fish (if caviar of the first grade), composition, shelf life (without the use of additional preservatives - from 8 months to a year). It is good if the producer is close to the fishing spot.
The ideal composition is as laconic as possible: caviar, salt. The content of vegetable oil and a minimum content of preservatives is allowed. It is better if it is only sorbic acid. If there are no preservatives in the product, then the caviar is pasteurized, which is much healthier.
The markings on the lid of the cans must be convex, not concave (the latter is a sign of counterfeiting). Look for three rows of signs: the date of manufacture of caviar, the assortment mark "CAVIAR" and the number of the plant with the shift number and the index of the fishing industry "P".
The tin can should not be wrinkled or bloated.
If you are buying caviar in glass, you have a good opportunity to examine the eggs. Ideal - clean, uniform in color and size, with little or no juices.
The volume of jus in a tin can be determined by shaking it. It is bad if you feel bursts and movement of the calf inside.
The same rules apply for caviar packed in a plastic container. The packaging should contain all the necessary information.
Caviar in the store should be kept in the refrigerator.

What about buying caviar by weight?

If you don't buy from questionable sellers in the market, but from specialized fish departments in supermarkets, why not? But remember that sometimes substandard caviar is sold in this way.

Bulk caviar deteriorates faster. It is not protected from external influences, including harmful bacteria.

Salmon spawning and fishing usually take place in July-August. That's why It is recommended to purchase it by weight until November inclusive.

Quality caviar should be crumbly. A simple test: it's good when the eggs fall from the spoon one by one, bad - in a large lump.

How to recognize a fake?

Artificial caviar is made from eggs, milk, gelatin, using dyes. The taste and healthiness of this product cannot be compared with the original. But outwardly, they may look very similar.

You can recognize a fake like this:

Try crushing the egg with your finger. The real one is easily crushed, the artificial one is difficult, it is very dense.
A fake has a pungent fishy odor, reminiscent of.
If you put the caviar in water, it will turn orange.
There are no embryo eyes in the eggs.
The fake sticks to the teeth.
Low price. Even if the salesperson says this is an "offer of unheard-of generosity" just in honor of the holiday, better not risk it.

How to identify spoiled caviar?

As a rule, it becomes very dark and takes on an unpleasant, pungent odor.

If you can hardly bite into the eggs, they burst in your mouth with a characteristic click, which means that the caviar is overripe. Often poachers get it on their spawning grounds.

Spoiled (not only expired, but also cooked in violation of sanitary standards and technologies) caviar can lead to. Pathogenic bacteria develop in it, including Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.