Caviar

What is caviar?
Answer: Caviar is fish roe or eggs, sieved to remove fatty tissues
and membrane, and lightly salted with non-iodized salt. This is an
old preserving and curing method that is still effective today.

Of course, all female fish lay eggs to reproduce, so they all have roe.
However, not all fish roe is suitable for nor considered to be caviar.
By most definitions and to a purist, true caviar comes from the
sturgeon and the sturgeon alone.

The sturgeon is a saltwater anadromous fish (meaning it moves to

freshwater to spawn) which makes its home in the Black and
Caspian Seas between Europe and Asia, and also the Pacific
Northwest and Southern Atlantic coasts of the United States.

The sturgeon can grow to over 3,000 pounds, but usually averages
about 60 pounds. The flesh of the fish, as well as its prized eggs, is
quite delicious.

The most prized caviar comes from the beluga, osetra, and sevruga
varieties of sturgeon. Nowadays you will also find caviar from other
fish varieties, including salmon, lumpfish and tuna, as well as in
different forms
The word caviar entered English via Italian [1] or Turkish,[2]; ultimately
derives from Persian caviars, from khaya "egg" (from Middle Persian
khayak "egg," from Old Iranian *qvyaka-, dim. of *avya-, from PIE
*owyo-/*oyyo- "egg") + dar "bearing." [3]

Some also think it derives from the Persian word ‫( خاگ‌آور‬Xâg-âvar),

meaning "the roe-generator"; others say chav-jar, which means
"cake of power", a reference to the ancient Persian practice of
eating caviar in stick form as a kind of elixir.[4]

In Persian, the word refers to both the sturgeon and its roe; in
Russian, the word икра (ikra), "roe", is used. The Russian word
malossol ("little salt") sometimes appears on caviar tins to show
that the caviar is minimally salted; typically, caviar is 4% to 8% salt,
with the better-brand varieties generally being less salted.

Varieties

Advertising poster for Iranian caviar in Paris, France

The Caspian Sea is considered the source of the finest caviar in the
world. Contemporary black caviar is roe from sturgeon fished from
the Caspian Sea by Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia and Kazakhstan. The
highest prices paid are for the Beluga, Ossetra, and Sevruga
varieties. (The large-grained Beluga caviar is from the Beluga
sturgeon, a fish which is unrelated to the Beluga whale, a mammal.)
The golden Sterlet caviar was once a favorite of czars, shahs, and
emperors. Currently, the dwindling fishing yields consequent to over
fishing and pollution have resulted in the creation of less costly,
though popular, caviar-quality roe alternatives from the whitefish
and the North Atlantic salmon.

The harvest and sale of black caviar have been banned in Russia
since August 1, 2007. The ban extends for 10 years, but scientific
research and the artificial breeding of black caviar fish are
exempted.
Ecology

Sturgeon

In the early 1900s, Canada and the United States were the major
caviar suppliers to Europe; they harvested roe from the lake
sturgeon in the North American Midwest, and from the Shortnose
sturgeon and the Atlantic sturgeon spawning in the rivers of the
Eastern coast of the United States. Today, however, the Shortnose
sturgeon is rated Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of endangered
species and rated Endangered per the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

In Spain a fish farm called Caviar de Riofrio has begun to produce

organic caviar. The company raises sturgeon in such a way that it
has earned organic certification by CITES.[5]

Current aquaculture of sturgeon is an economically viable means of

sustainable, commercial caviar production, especially in Spain,
France, Uruguay, and California.[6] Hackleback caviar is a popular,
inexpensive product of this industry. Paddlefish, a sturgeon cousin, is
also farmed in increasing numbers.

Recently, the amount of allowed wild fish harvesting has been

decreased, consequently increasing caviar prices. In September
2005, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service banned the import
of Caspian Sea Beluga caviar, to protect the endangered Beluga
sturgeon; a month later, the ban included Beluga caviar from the
entire Black Sea basin. In January 2006, CITES, the convention for
trade in endangered species, announced they were "unable to
approve the [caviar] export quotas" for 2006 from wild fish stocks.[7]
In January 2007, this ban was partly lifted, allowing the sale of 96
tons of caviar, 15% below the official 2005 level.[8]

Production
Caviar is traditionally served with horn, wood, gold, nacre, or plastic
utensils.[9] Commercial caviar production normally involves stunning
the fish (usually by clubbing its head) and extracting the ovaries;
some commercial fish farmers are experimenting with surgically
removing roe from living sturgeon, allowing the females to continue
producing more roe during their lives]

Alternatives and imitation

Typical Swedish sandwich with hard-boiled eggs and cod roe caviar
from a tube

In Scandinavia, a significantly cheaper version of caviar, made from

mashed and smoked cod roe, is sold in tubes as a sandwich filling.
When sold outside Scandinavia, in stores such as Ikea's Swedish
food market, the product is referred to as creamed smoked roe.

An obvious sturgeon caviar imitation is Danish black colored lump

sucker caviar, which is sold throughout Europe in small glass jars. It
can also be found red colored. A more expensive sturgeon caviar
alternative, sold in Sweden and Finland, is the caviar from the vend
ace. In Finland caviars from the burbot and the common whitefish
are also sold.

In the vegetarian foodstuffs market, Algae-based imitation caviar is

produced and sold as a caviar alternative.

Cultural
Given its high price in the West, caviar is synonymous with luxury
and wealth. In Russia and other Eastern European cultures, though
still expensive, caviar is commonly served at holiday feasts,
weddings, and other festive occasions. Sturgeon-derived caviar is
generally not eaten by Jews who keep kosher, because sturgeon
lacks scales and thus is not considered kosher; however, this does
not apply to every roe-yielding fish species. In Islam all sea or river
animals such as fish are lawful and halal which applies to the
sturgeon as well as its caviar (depending on which school of
practice). In Hong Kong and Japan, caviar may be found on sushi
and is often very affordable.
Caviar Varieties
Osetra Caviar
Fresh caviar is rather a misnomer, since it is aged in the brine for
one to four weeks or even longer. Roe fresh from the fish has
virtually no flavor whatsoever, and must be brined for not only
flavor, but preservation.

• Beluga: Sturgeon. The caviar is soft, clear, and glossy, with

large, pea-sized eggs. They range in color from light silver-gray to
black, and have a creamy, almost buttery taste. The eggs have a
prominent dark spot called an "eye" which is the actual egg itself.
The surrounding gel is the egg sac. It is considered the highest
premium grade available.

• Osetra: Sturgeon. Medium-sized gray to brown eggs with a

flavor almost nutty, considered second in quality to beluga.

• Sevruga : Sturgeon. Smaller eggs than osetra, grayish in

color, strongest in flavor of the imports. Experts find sevruga to
have a saltier flavor, because the eggs are smaller. Although they
are exposed to the same percentage salty brine as beluga, one gets
more eggs in a bite of sevruga than beluga simply due to the size
difference of the eggs, hence more of a salty flavor.

• Sterlet: Sturgeon. Small golden eggs which were once

considered the finest caviar available and reserved for the highest
royalty in the lands. This variety is virtually extinct, so don't expect
to find any on the market, even if you can afford it.

• Lumpfish caviar: Lumpfish. Popular and much less

expensive, this roe has tiny eggs, usually dyed black or red.

• American caviar: Paddlefish. Also known as

American caviar from the roe of a Mississippi paddlefish, a distant
cousin of sturgeon. In 1998, the U.S. government ruled that the
paddlefish is a sturgeon for food purposes. The roe is small to
medium in size, varying shades of gray in color, and have an earthy
flavor that some refer to as slightly "muddy."
• Whitefish caviar: Whitefish. The whitefish is found
in the Great Lakes region as well as other northern countries. Also
known as Golden Whitefish caviar, the roe has small, golden yellow
eggs and a less complex flavor making them culinary versatile.

• Salmon or Red caviar : Salmon. The eggs are of

medium size, light orange to deep red in color. Salmon caviar is the
most often recommended substitute for the more expensive
sturgeon varieties.

• Tarama: Carp. Roe from the carp, orange in color. It's often
sold smoked.

• Trout caviar: Rainbow trout. The roe is orange and

smaller than salmon roe. The flavor is less salty than sturgeon and
mild in flavor. Farming makes it one of the least expensive options
yet yields great flavor value.

Caviar Terms

Malossol: The term malossol on the label is not a type of •

caviar, but a Russian term (literal translation "little salt"), meaning
the fish roe was good enough to be processed using a minimal
amount of salt, typically five percent of salt per weight. Most experts
agree, the less salt, the better the caviar, but less salt makes it
.highly perishable and thus more expensive

Pasteurized: The roe is partially cooked as a •

preservative measure, so it has a longer life. The pasteurization
causes a slight change in texture, a bit more firm. Some pasteurized
and/or jarred caviar may or may not need refrigeration. Check the
.label to be sure

Pressed: Also known as payusnaya and pajusnaya. You •

can bet that not all eggs that pass through the sieving process
squeeze through intact, and they are certainly not tossed out. The
result of broken, weak, or damaged eggs is pressed caviar, which is
specially treated, salted, and pressed. It is often a combination of
several types of roe and has a jam-like consistency. Although it
cannot compare to the real thing, it is still a viable solution for
 recipes, having a richer, more intense caviar flavor. It is often
preferred by home chefs looking for that caviar touch

The Osetra caviar has the most variety in terms of size, color and
flavor. It is surmised that the taste varies so much because the
Osetra is a bottom feeder and thus its eggs take on the flavor of
what it eats. If you were to open ten 1.8 kg tins of Osetra caviar at
the same sitting, each would have a different scent, taste and color,
even if the they had been caught at the same general time and
processed at one fishing station.

The Osetra can grow to 2 m in, and may weigh up to 200 kg,
although on average a mature fish grows to only 1.5 m, and will
weigh 20-80 kg. It has bony scales along the length of its body, and
varies in color from dark grey to brown, with a lighter-colored
stomach.

Osetra has a 60 to 80 year life span, and some have been known to
have reached the age of 120. Their age of maturity is 12 to 15
years. However, if bred in warmer aquaculture conditions the age of
maturity can be reached by 8 to 10 years. The colors of the eggs
vary significantly and range from dark grey to dark brown and gold.

Sevruga Caviar
The Sevruga, the smallest commercially caught sturgeon, can grow
to 1.5 m and hardly ever exceeds 25 kg. Like the Osetra, the
Sevruga is an omnivore and feeds on algae and small crustaceans.
Its distinctive, bony scales those appears along its length, and
resemble stars, and for which it is nicknamed the star sturgeon.

The female Sevruga matures to egg producing age at about 7 to 10

years old, somewhat earlier than other sturgeon. Once the female
Sevruga reaches egg bearing age, 10-12 per cent of its body weight
consists of eggs. The fish is at its prime between 18 and 22 years of
age. This is when the eggs are at their absolute best.

The eggs are grey-black and are finely grained, small, and have the
strongest flavor of all sturgeon eggs. They are the most highly
appreciated among connoisseurs, for their taste. Sevruga caviar is
the least expensive, mainly due to the Sevruga sturgeon's relative
abundance.
 Caspian Sea
Sevruga
Imperial
Caspian Sea Osetra
Osetra

Caspian Sea Imperial Osetra Malossol

Caspian Sea Osetra Malossol

Caspian Sea Pressed Caviar

Caspian Sea Sevruga Malossol

Mother of Pearl Caviar Dish

Plain Mother of Pearl Caviar Spoon

AmeriHackl
can eback

American
Paddlefish

American
Salmon Roe

American
Whitefish
Roe
 How do you know you're getting Russian caviar or domestic these
?days

As with many foods, there are now US Food and Drug Administration
laws governing the labeling of caviar, no doubt due largely in part to
.the mislabeling shenanigans in earlier American history

Only sturgeon roe may be labeled simply caviar with no further

specifications. Roe from other fish must include the name of the fish
.as well as the caviar term

Along with salmon, lumpfish, and whitefish caviar, you may also
come across "American sturgeon caviar," which is the roe of the
Mississippi paddlefish (a fish similar to the sturgeon), and Chou
.piqué, which comes from a local Louisiana fish, the bowfin

Of course, you must be somewhat familiar with the variety you are
.buying before you know if you've been hoodwinked

There are many different varieties as well as forms of caviar,

.depending on the type of fish and how it was processed

Take a look at this informational page on Caviar

Varieties and Terminology to educate yourself on the
different types. Know what you need and want before you go
.shopping

The term caviar elicits such thoughts of wealth and grandeur that
you will also see recipes for mock caviar such as Poor Man's
Caviar also known as Eggplant Caviar and Texas Caviar. These
do not contain any actual caviar but attempt to copy the rich, salty
flavor of the real thing or at least try to play off the elegance of the
.term

Caviar Etiquette and Utensils

Fine caviar should be served solo, very cold, and preferably in a non-
metallic bowl nested inside a larger bowl filled with ice. Silver and
metal bowls and utensils should be avoided due to oxidation, which
may impart a metallic taste to the caviar. Choose servers and
utensils made of glass, bone, tortoise shell, wood, plastic, or to be
.truly traditional, mother-of-pearl or gold
 Fine caviar is best served simply, with toast points or bland,
unsalted crackers. Although purists will disagree, believing nothing
should interfere with the flavor of fine caviar, common
accompaniments include lemon wedges, sour cream, crème
frâiche, hard-cooked egg (yolks and whites chopped separately),
and minced onion. Lesser quality caviar products may well benefit
.from these garnishes

Purists will also disagree with the commonly preferred libation of

champagne, and demand only a straight shot of the finest frozen
.vodka

Don't be a piggy guest when served caviar as an hors d'oeuvre, no

matter how much you might be tempted by its luscious flavor. It's
considered gauche to eat more than an ample serving of about two
.ounces, or about two spoonfuls

The finest caviar should taste neither fishy nor overly salty.
Connoisseurs look for shiny, fine-grained egg globules

Caviar Selection and Storage

Fresh caviar should be stored at temperatures between 26 and 34

degrees F. and can last between one to four weeks, depending on
the freshness factor when you buy it. The high oil content keeps it
.from freezing at these temperatures

Request the rubber-banded jar be opened to get a whiff - it should

smell briny, but not fishy. To transport it home from the market,
.bring along a container of ice to keep it cold

Freezing fresh caviar is often recommended by sellers. However,

should you choose to freeze it, keep in mind that you risk the eggs
bursting and might end up with a mush more akin to pressed caviar
than the good stuff you paid for? once opened, use fresh caviar
.within a day or two

As a home cook, you are probably going to only find and use
canned, pasteurized caviar (in lacquered tins or glass jars), which
will most likely still require refrigeration. Be sure to read the labels
carefully for storage instructions. It will still need to be kept in a cool
place up to two months. Once opened, store refrigerated in the tin
 or bottle, covered tightly with plastic wrap, being sure the eggs are
.not exposed to air. Consume pasteurized leftovers within a week

With both fresh and pasteurized caviar, be sure to check the label
for specific storage instructions and expiration dates. You will most
likely have to consult your fishmonger or grocer in advance to order
fresh caviar. Pasteurized caviar is likely to be hidden away by the
market and available only upon request due to its relatively high
.cost, much like saffron

oring & Serving Caviar Tips•

• Caviar should be placed in the coldest section of your refrigerator, do not

freeze
• Unopened fresh caviar will last 2-3 weeks, but once opened should be
eaten right away
• Once opened, most caviar should be consumed within 2-3 days. Air and
temperature are the greatest threat to storing caviar correctly
• If some caviar is left in the tin, caviar should be covered with plastic wrap
directly on surface of the roe, put lid back on and stored in refrigerator
• To serve, remove caviar from cooler and let stand unopened for about 15
minutes
• Caviar tin or jar can be served directly on crushed ice or placed in a
chilled caviar server
• Caviar should be served with a non-metallic spoon usually mother of
pearl, bone or horn

Our favorite ways of serving Caviar

Opinions vary of course, but for many people, serving fine fresh caviar is one of
the easiest of culinary tasks. There’s very little preparation necessary. Simply
place the tin of caviar on a bed of ice, use a mother of pearl spoon and serve the
roe on plain toast points. Most purists prefer their caviar natural and don’t even
use sweet butter on their toast since there is enough oil in the caviar itself.

• Caviar is traditionally served with plain white (Pepperidge Farm thinly

sliced) bread; toasted, crusts removed, small amount of unsalted butter,
or petit toast or blinis

• Typical garnishes are: lemon, chopped egg, crème fraiche or blinis. Please
note caviar should not be served with anything too strong in flavor to
overwhelm its delicate flavor
• Frozen Vodka or Champagne are the two most popular beverages.

This is, after all, only

Hould only be served with a suitable utensil of gold, wood or horn.
Silver utensils should never be used, as they will alter the taste of
the caviar. To fully appreciate caviar, taste small quantities, allowing
the bursts of delicate flavor to reward your palette. Refraining from
using any condiments such as pepper, lemon, onion and herbs is
urged. If, however, you find the taste of caviar overly strong simply
spread a small amount on a blini or sliced bread. But the true
connoisseur will always prefer the virgin taste of caviar.

Russian tradition dictates that white vodka is the perfect mate, but
caviar is also enjoyed with dry champagne. Recently, chefs have
created innovative variations of recipes that incorporate caviar into
rather complex dishes.

Now that you have learned a bit about tasting caviar, you should
move onto learning about serving caviar.

Caviar Nutrition
Facts
- Per 100 grams

• Calories: 270
• Protein: 25.3 grams
• Fat: 17 grams
• Cholesterol: 440 mg
• Sugar: 4 gr
• Sodium: 1,700 mg
• Potassium: 164 mg
• Phosphorus: 330 mg
• Calcium: 51 mg
• Vitamins: D, A, C, B2, B44,
B12 and PP

- Recommended Portion: 30 to 50 gr
of caviar per person

.
Sturgeon

Atlantic sturgeon
(Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus)

used for some 26 species of fish in the family Acipenseridae,

including the genera Acipenser, Huso, Scaphirhynchus and
Pseudoscaphirhynchus. The term includes over 20 species
commonly referred to as sturgeon and several closely related
species that have distinct common names, notably sterlet, Kaluga
and beluga. Collectively, the family is also known as the True
Sturgeons. Sturgeon is sometimes used more exclusively to refer
to the species in the two best-known genera; Acipenser and Huso.

One of the oldest families of bony fish in existence, they are native
to subtropical, temperate and sub-arctic rivers, lakes and coastlines
of Eurasia and North America. They are distinctive for their
elongated bodies, lack of scales, and occasional great size:
Sturgeons ranging from 7–12 feet (2-3½ m) in length are common,
and some species grow up to 18 feet (5.5 m). Most sturgeons are
anadromous bottom-feeders, spawning upstream and feeding in
river deltas and estuaries. While some are entirely freshwater, very
few venture into the open ocean beyond near coastal areas.

Several species of sturgeons are harvested for their roe, which is

made into caviar - a luxury good which makes some sturgeons
pound for pound the most valuable of all harvested fish. Because
they are slow-growing and mature very late in life, they are
particularly vulnerable to exploitation and to other threats, including
pollution and habitat fragmentation. Most species of sturgeons are
currently considered either vulnerable, endangered or critically
endangered.

Evolution
Sturgeon and related paddlefish first appear in the fossil record
approximately 200 million years ago, making them among the most
ancient of teleost fish. In that time they have undergone remarkably
little morphological change, indicating that their evolution has been
exceptionally slow and earning them informal status as living
fossils.[1][2] This is explained in part by the long inter-generation time,
tolerance for wide ranges of temperature and salinity, lack of
predators due to size, and the abundance of prey items in the
benthic environment.

Despite the existence of a fossil record, it has been difficult to fully

classify the sturgeon species or unambiguously determine their
phylogeny. This is in part due to the high individual and ontogenic
variation, including geographical clines in certain features, such as
rostrum shape, number of scutes and body length. A further
confounding factor is the peculiar ability of sturgeons to produce
reproductively viable hybrids, even between species assigned to
different genera. The wide range of the Acipenserids and their
endangered status have made collection of systematic materials
difficult. These factors have led researchers in the past to identify
over 40 additional species that were rejected by later workers.[3] It is
still unclear whether the species in the Asipenser and Huso genera
are monophyletic (descended from one ancestor) or paraphyletic
(descended from many ancestors)- though it is clear that the
morphologically motivated division between these two genera is not
supported by the genetic evidence. There is an ongoing effort to
resolve the taxonomic confusion using a continuing synthesis of
systematic data and molecular techniques.[2][4]

Physical characteristics

Along with other members of the Chondrostei and the

Acipenseriformes order, sturgeon are primarily cartiligenous, lack a
vertebral centrum, and are covered with bony plates called scutes
rather than scales. They also have four barbels - unique tactile
organs that precede their toothless mouth and are dragged along
often murky river bottoms. Sturgeon is distinctly and immediately
recognizable for their elongated bodies, flattened rostra, distinctive
scutes and barbels, and elongated upper tail lobes.

They are primarily benthic feeders. With their projecting

wedgeshaped snout they stir up the soft bottom, and use the
barbels to detect shells, crustaceans and small fish, on which they
feed. Having no teeth, they are unable to seize prey, though larger
specimens can swallow very large prey items, including whole
salmon and even baby seals.[5]

Sturgeons have been referred to as both the Leviathans and

Methuselahs of freshwater fish. They are among the largest fish:
some beluga (Huso huso) in the Caspian Sea reportedly attain over
5.5 m and 2000 kg[6] while for kaluga (H. dauricus) in the Amur River
similar lengths and over 1000 kg weights have been reported.[7]
They are also probably the longest-lived of the fishes, some living
well over 100 years and attaining sexual maturity at 20 years or
more.[8] The combination of slow growth and reproductive rates and
the extremely high value placed on mature egg-bearing females
make sturgeon particularly vulnerable to over fishing.

Sturgeons are polyploid; some species have 4, 8, or 16 sets of

chromosomes.[9]

Sturgeon range from subtropical to subarctic waters in North

America and Eurasia. In North America, they range along the
Atlantic coast from the Gulf of Mexico to Newfoundland, including
the Great Lakes and the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, as well as
along the West coast in major rivers from California to British
Columbia. They occur along the European Atlantic coast, including
the Mediterranean basin, in the rivers that flow into the Black, Azov
and Caspian seas (Danube, Dnepr, Volga and Don), the north-
flowing rivers of Russia that feed the Arctic Ocean (Ob, Yenisei,
Lena, Kolyma), in the rivers of Central Asia (Amu Darya and Syr
Darya) and Lake Baikal. In the Pacific Ocean, they are found in the
Amur River along the Russian-Chinese border, on Sakhalin island,
and in the Yangtze and other rivers in northeast China.[8][10]

Throughout this extensive range, almost all species are highly

threatened or vulnerable to extinction due to a combination of
habitat destruction, over fishing and pollution.[10]

No species are known to naturally occur south of the equator,

though attempts at sturgeon aquaculture are being made in
Uruguay, South Africa and other places.[11]

Most species are at least partially anadromous, spawning in fresh

water and feeding in nutrient rich brackish waters of estuaries or
undergoing significant migrations along coastlines. However, some
species have evolved purely freshwater existences, such as the lake
sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) and the Baikal sturgeon (A. baerii
baicalensis), or have been forced into them by anthropogenic or
natural impoundment of their native rivers, as in the case of some
subpopulations of white sturgeon (A. transmontanus) in the
Columbia River[12] and Siberian sturgeon (A. baerii) in the Ob
basin.[13]

Uses
The underside and mouth of a sturgeon

In Russia, sturgeon fisheries are of immense value. Early in summer

the fish migrate into the rivers or towards the shores of freshwater
lakes in large shoals for breeding purposes. The ova are very small,
and so numerous that one female has been calculated to produce
about three million in one season. The ova of some species have
been observed to hatch within very few days after exclusion. In
sturgeons that have attained maturity their growth appears to be
much slower, although continuing for many years. Frederick the
Great placed a number of them in the Garder See Lake in Pomerania
about 1780; some of these were found to be still alive in 1866.[citation
needed]
Professor von Baer also states, as the result of direct
observations made in Russia, that the Hausen (Acipenser huso)
attains an age of 100 years, but can live over 210 years.[citation needed]

In countries like England, where few sturgeons are caught, sturgeon

is included as a royal fish in an act of King Edward II, although it
probably only rarely graces the royal table of the present period, or
even that of the lord mayor of London, who can claim all sturgeons
caught in the Thames above London Bridge. Where sturgeons are
caught in large quantities, as on the rivers of southern Russia and
on the great lakes of North America, their flesh is dried, smoked or
salted. The ovaries, which are of large size, are prepared for caviar,
for this purpose they are beaten with switches, and then pressed
through sieves, leaving the membranous and fibrous tissues in the
sieve, whilst the eggs are collected in a tub. The quantity of salt
added to them before they are finally packed varies with the season,
scarcely any being used at the beginning of winter. Finally, one of
the best sorts of isinglass is manufactured from the airbladder. After
it has been carefully removed from the body, it is washed in hot
water, and cut open in its whole length, to separate the inner
membrane, which has a soft consistency, and contains 70% of
glutin.

Sturgeon (and, therefore also the caviar trade) are under severe
threat from over fishing, poaching and water pollution.[14]

,Sameera silva
.Ceylon hotel school .Colombo