It is difficult to imagine a real Russian feast without red caviar. This delicacy often becomes the main component necessary for preparing a wide variety of dishes and snacks. Have you ever thought about how to distinguish red caviar from a fake? How does counterfeiting occur? Who needs it and how to distinguish an original from a fake? Answers to these and many other questions will be known very soon.
What is found on the shelves of our stores?
The fact that caviar is black and red, many know. And can buyers boast of knowledge about what types of fish provide a delicacy for a festive table? As a rule, there are three types of black sturgeon caviar in stores. The most expensive of them is stellate caviar, followed by beluga and sturgeon. Depending on the processing method, it is divided into granular (when the eggs are well separated from each other, and the caviar itself is made from selected raw materials), paused (in the form of mashed potatoes) and ravine (when the caviar is salted in the film itself). Red caviar, in turn, is represented on the market by all types of salmon fish. This is everyone's favorite pink salmon, chum and salmon, trout and seal. The most common salmon roe is this fish is the most prolific of the salmon family. The taste of eggs is liked by all lovers of delicacies. Sockeye salmon caviar can be found not so often, but all because this fish has long been in the status of mass extermination.
How to recognize a fake?
Before answering this question, it is worth understanding how the fake products are made. What is fake red caviar made of? For these purposes, seaweed is used. From plants, agar, alginate and agaroid are first isolated. After that, based on these components, jelly is cooked according to a special recipe. Subsequently, the product is tinted in the desired color, and eggs of one size or another are formed from the finished jelly. Then the fat of sturgeon or salmon species of fish is added , which, in turn, gives the very smack of red caviar. It is believed that such a product is rich in iodine due to the main component that is part of the product (seaweed). So fake red caviar is completely harmless if all conditions and production technology were observed during its manufacture. To find out how to distinguish red caviar from a fake, you should identify some aspects that must be considered when choosing a product.
Caviar color and its external data
Only original products have all the eggs of the same size and can be easily separated from each other. Any plaque, damage, cracks, blood clots or mucus is simply unacceptable on the surface of red grains. Real red caviar has a rich bright orange (or scarlet) color. The eggs themselves are transparent - through them you can see the so-called eyes, that is, the nucleus of the eggs. If there are none, then most likely it’s in the hands of the buyer a fake, which is made from protein products, milk and gelatin with the addition of flavors and flavors. By the way, the color of fake caviar is much richer than that of the original products.
Knowing how to distinguish red caviar from a fake clearly, you can protect yourself from acquiring falsified goods.
Packaging
Real red caviar will never be stored in a plastic container! Holding a glass container with red caviar in your hands, you should pay attention to the integrity of the package. The jar should not be bloated or squeezed. The shelf life of real red caviar cannot exceed 12 months. The product should be stored at a temperature of -180 to -250 ° C. When the jar oscillates, no extraneous sounds should occur. A characteristic gurgle suggests that the packaging is leaky or the caviar has been re-frozen. In the event that a tin can is in the hands of a potential buyer, you should pay attention to the manufacturer and the composition of the products. So, red caviar from Sakhalin and Kamchatka is produced from mid-June to September, since it was at this time that salmon fish go to spawn. Currently, this is the only place in Russia where seafood export is allowed. In the event that another manufacturer is indicated on the bank, one should be wary, as the buyer can keep fake goods in his hands. In addition, the label should state that the caviar complies with GOST. Speaking about how to distinguish real red caviar from a fake, you should familiarize yourself with other marks that should be on the label: date of manufacture, “Caviar” mark, manufacturer's number, shift number and, of course, the corresponding index of the fishing industry (“ R"). The “TU” mark should be avoided, as it indicates that caviar was made from frozen raw materials. All of the above information will help you learn how to distinguish red caviar from a fake on the bank.
Cost
If you know how to distinguish real red caviar from a fake, then even the cost of one can can tell a lot about the quality of the products. So, only true salmon caviar can cost about 1200 Russian rubles per 1 kilogram. It should be understood that too high a cost is not an indicator of high quality. But the “attractive” price tag should certainly alert the buyer.
How to distinguish red caviar from a fake at home?
If the product has already been purchased and for some reason it was not possible to verify its authenticity in the store, there are special verification methods at home. We should talk about them. Before serving, you need to take one egg and lightly press on it. If it burst, but did not splatter around, then this is real caviar, which can be safely wrapped in thin pancakes. If the eggs remained safe and sound, then this means that the consumer got counterfeit products. There is another interesting method that allows you to answer the question: how to distinguish real red caviar from a fake? Experience with iodine will help to find out the answer to this question. Just one drop of iodine is enough to see the reaction - real red caviar does not react in any way to its effect, unlike an artificial product that changes color very quickly. The easiest method is to dip a few eggs in a glass of hot water. An artificial analogue will dissolve, which will never happen with real red caviar. This method allows you to get an answer to the question of how to distinguish good red caviar from a fake.
The chemical composition of red caviar
Perhaps, it was worth telling about the useful properties of this product in advance, but nothing prevents you from doing it right now. Knowing how to distinguish natural red caviar from a fake, you can talk about the composition of the product and its beneficial properties. You should immediately pay attention to the fact that falsified caviar may contain such a dangerous substance as urotropin, which is added to fake caviar to extend its shelf life. Urotropin itself is not so harmful, which can not be said about the product of its decay - formaldehyde.
And now more about the chemical composition of red caviar. Delicacy is a nutritious product rich in proteins and vitamins A, D, E, folic acid, phosphorus and iodine, as well as calcium and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Red caviar contains a large amount of protein - about 32%. All these substances are essential for the human body. For this reason, red caviar is very popular in folk medicine. This product is widely used in cosmetology.
Beneficial features
Knowing how to distinguish red caviar from a fake in taste, appearance and using simple experiments, we can talk about the beneficial properties of this product and its distinctive qualities. All the benefits of red caviar can be explained by only one fact: a small egg is a “fish egg”, which contains everything that is necessary for the full development of the embryo. But this does not mean that red caviar can be eaten with tablespoons for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Red caviar is very useful for the prevention of atherosclerosis and for the general strengthening of immunity. Moderate consumption of red caviar contributes to the natural rejuvenation of the body. This product is useful for strengthening bones and improving vision. In addition, red caviar prevents the formation of blood clots, it improves blood circulation. Many experts recommend this product for use by those who wish to increase their hemoglobin levels.
Negative qualities
Real or artificial red caviar? How to distinguish a fake? How to get the maximum benefit and not harm the body? In fact, red caviar is not always useful. The acceptable dose is 4 teaspoons of the product per day (this is about 2-3 sandwiches).
Red caviar contains salt, which can lead to fluid retention in the body. Moreover, the combination of red caviar, white bread and butter is a serious blow to the hips and buttocks, so do not get involved in the delicacy if you need to lose a few pounds.
There is one more point that needs to be taken into account - real red caviar before going to the table goes through several stages of production and preservation. Only with the observance of technology, this product can be considered useful and nutritious. Unfortunately, not all manufacturers can boast of an impeccable process of collecting and preserving red caviar.
How to distinguish real red caviar from artificial to taste?
This information will be useful to those who, for whatever reason, could not assess the quality of the product before buying. Real eggs do not stick to each other, they are dense in consistency, have a clear “eye”. When cracking or punching, the eggs burst, but do not spray, which can not be said about the artificial analogue. The eggs in the jar should be the same size. Clouding of the brine, the presence of mucus and impurities are not allowed.
Caviar is considered in the fall
Particular attention when buying should be given to the production date. Of course, the best caviar will be that collected during the months of spawning of salmon fish. The duration of this period is different: for example, pink salmon in western Sakhalin go for spawning from mid-May to October, chum salmon begin their spawning campaign in approximately August, but coho salmon go on rivers in Kamchatka in three stages. In the event that the date on the packaging does not correspond to the spawning period, most likely the product is made of frozen paws. Useful properties in this case, of course, are lost, but the taste remains the same.
Useful Tips
These practical tips will help you choose a truly high-quality caviar and not make a mistake when buying a delicacy for the festive table:
- It is best to choose packaging marked “GOST”.
- Particular attention should be paid to the place of production and preference should be given only to producers located in traditional spawning places (Kamchatka, Sakhalin).
- The bank must indicate the type of salmon fish.
- You should give preference to caviar stored in a glass jar (so you can carefully consider each egg).
- When turning the cans over, no gurgling or other extraneous sounds should be heard.
- Also, when turning over, the eggs should not quickly drain around the edges. A maximum of a few grains will fall on the lid.
- The numbers on the container should be convex, not depressed.
Caviar in a tin can should not be kept open for a long time. Oxidation of metal is a quick and fatal process for red caviar. The best option is to use all the contents in one go. Therefore, before the holidays, you should count your strength.
Mistresses note
Traditional sandwiches with red caviar, decorated with fresh herbs, are, of course, incredibly tasty and elegant. But after all, on holidays you can treat your guests with more original masterpieces of culinary art, which will certainly be remembered by everyone gathered at the holiday table.
Even regular snacks can be served in a very unusual way. To do this, bake several thin pancakes, cut them into two parts, wrap them in a bag and put a teaspoon of red seeds in it. So that the pancake does not fall apart, you can fasten its ends with a decorative skewer.
To create another original and delicious masterpiece of red caviar, you will need the following ingredients:
- Cheese "Philadelphia" - 250 grams.
- Lightly salted trout or salmon - 300 grams.
- Strawberry jam - 65 grams.
- Biscofrisa cookies - 200 grams.
- Red caviar itself is enough - one jar (50 grams) is enough.
A thin layer of strawberry jam should be applied to each cookie. Then cover with a small layer of cheese and put a thin slice of red fish. Decorate the appetizer with red caviar and a small sprig of parsley. Such a dish will become a bright accent of any festive event, and the hostess will not even notice how cookies with red caviar disappear from all plates. Knowing how to distinguish red caviar from a fake, you can pamper yourself and your loved ones with unique dishes that differ in useful properties.