As you know, the New Year's table requires a special approach and attention from every hostess - the most delicious, long-awaited and expensive products are traditionally placed here. It doesn't matter if this is left over from the Soviet mentality or has migrated to the 21st century as a good tradition, the fact remains the fact. One of the main delicacies, of course, remains caviar - red, black, whatever you like. How not to get lost in choosing a product and what you need to know to protect yourself - we will tell you more together with experts.
UKRAINE, ODESSA AND IKRA
The best producers of red caviar are countries that are engaged in independent fishing and packaging of the product, namely, the USA, Iran, Germany, and Russia. However, local producers are not lagging behind - for example, there are dozens of private aqua farms specializing in this industry in the south of Ukraine and Transcarpathia. For example, the Odesa sturgeon complex is engaged in the re-creation of genetically pure sturgeon tench and other native species of fish that live in the Danube River Delta and the North-Western part of the Black Sea, including those listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, and is also a major supplier of aquaculture products as in the Ukrainian , as well as on the world market. According to experts, ensuring smooth production and the best product quality is something that companies have been working towards for years, which is why this market is so complex and expensive. By the way, this activity requires constant human participation - at least 40% of the process.
— It took us about 10 years to fix the work and start making a real profit, and, of course, to reach the necessary product indicators. Fortunately, the government does not help much, this is a well-known fact, however, it seems to me that if the state allocated more subsidies to similar enterprises and their satellites, partners, then we would have more profits, and people would get a cheaper product for their tables. Aquaculture is, first of all, love and the call of the heart and soul, as well as social responsibility - and the creation of jobs, and the issue of nature protection, and care for consumers, - says the director of the Odesa sturgeon complex Vyacheslav Nomerovanny.
WHAT TO PAY ATTENTION TO?
In addition to the fact that there are several types of caviar, do not forget about their varieties. What are the differences:
First grade, he is the highest: in a jar you can find eggs of only one species of fish, without mixing. The color, shape and size are the same, the shell is visually undamaged. The appearance should give the impression of elasticity and softness, the eggs slide freely on the jar and do not stick to each other, they shine;
Second grade: as a rule, you can find a mixture of different types of fish. Eggs can be damaged and noticeably stick together, the color is different due to the mixing of species. This variety is more salty, has more preservatives and liquid.
According to experts, both varieties are considered delicious. Everything here depends on your budget, and, of course, on your preferred taste.
But unnatural caviar is very easy to distinguish from the real one - it has a specific "jelly" consistency and a salty taste, dissolves easily in hot water, and does not have a dark spot-adra (future embryo). And, as a rule, visually, such caviar looks unnatural.
- Oh, you will immediately understand when you see too perfect eggs - something is wrong. In general, if you use caviar as a filling or together with something, then you can take something simpler, of course. However, if you like to enjoy a clean taste or are pedantic about serving, or maybe you want perfect sandwiches with butter and caviar - the best product is here. - chef Sofia Tavskaya shares.
Gospotrebsluzhba, in turn, also recommends a responsible approach to choosing a delicacy. Here are some key tips from experts - what you should pay attention to:
1. Place of sale
Give preference to large retail chains, where the probability of encountering a fake is minimal. In addition, large supermarkets can provide the correct storage conditions (at a temperature of -4° to -8°С) and in most cases (again, be careful) monitor the expiration date of food products.
2. Packaging and marking
It is better to buy caviar in a glass container, since oxidation processes do not occur in it, and there is an opportunity to assess the appearance of the product immediately. Take the jar in your hands and shake it, if it bubbles inside - it is better to refuse the purchase, high-quality granular caviar fills the container without voids. Pay special attention to the cover, it cannot slip under the pressure of the fingers or be inflated. Be sure to look at the marking, the lid of the container must be stamped from the inside, if the numbers are pressed inside - you are probably dealing with a fake!
3. Date of production
Red caviar is mainly harvested in July-August. If any other month of production is indicated on the lid, it may mean that frozen caviar has already been salted. The storage period is from 3 to 12 months, depending on the storage temperature.
4. Composition
Try to buy caviar of the first grade, this is a guarantee that there will be caviar of the same type of fish in the jar. The amount of salt should not exceed 5-6%.
5. Appearance and aroma
Real high-quality caviar should be crumbly, have a core, be uniform in color and have a slight fishy aroma.
— It is necessary to purchase products of such an exclusive nature only from verified sellers. How can a life hack with boiling water help you, if you bought a delicacy it is not clear where? It is better to buy black caviar in iron cans, where the sun's rays do not fall. It is better to minimize plastic too. And, of course, it is not necessary to exclude the purchase of products from official manufacturers - this is a good decision both in terms of price policy and quality. - summarizes Vyacheslav Nomerovanny.
PRICE POLICY
There are several factors that shape the price of a caviar product. First of all, these are initial investments - people invest from a million to 10 million dollars without having a profit for the first few years, which was already mentioned above. The most expensive thing in this story is the equipment. Moreover, demand is low, because, again, the price is not cheap. The explanation for this discrepancy between the level of consumption of fish products and the volume of its production lies in the dominance of imported fish and seafood on the Ukrainian market. Thus, their share in the total volume of production of fish farming and fishing in the domestic market fluctuates according to different estimates from 70 to 90%. The significant capacity of this market and the high level of prices for local fish and seafood make the Ukrainian market attractive for product suppliers.
By the way, in the two largest world regions of red caviar fishing in 2020, a significant decrease in salmon catches is recorded, due to which the delicacy is already becoming more expensive in wholesale. Experts explain that this is also reflected in the prices of red caviar in Ukraine, although legal suppliers are still trying to maintain sales volumes by reducing their margins and minimal retail measures. Therefore, the already existing tendency to reduce the gram weight of one can of product (for example, 80 grams instead of 100) will continue both this year and next year.
