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Caviar in the News
Potential Health Problems through the Consumption of Large Quantities of Paddlefish from Certain Waters - AP, July 10, 2008
New CITES Quotas Allow More Caviar Export and Further Jeopardize Endangered Sturgeon; Pew Institute for Ocean Science Expresses Concern - Pew Institute for Ocean Science, May 23, 2008
Russia Bans Sturgeon Harvest for 5 Years - Pew Institute for Ocean Science, March 27, 2008

The Little Pearl:
Join The (Caviar) Club - The Nibble, November 23, 2007
RANKING: 48 Norwegian firms involved in 60 farmed fish escape 2006 incidents; Highest since 2001 - SeafoodIntelligence.com
We Try a $1,000 Pizza, Maintain That We Aren’t Publicity Tools - NY magazine, March 14, 2007
Caspian Export Quota Set but Beluga in Limbo - Environment News Service, January 2, 2007
Sustainable Choices - Caviar Monthly, December 5, 2006
Salmon Find an Ally in the Far East of Russia - NY Times, October 16, 2006
Caviar Emptor Urges CITES to Maintain Ban on Caviar Imports - Caviar Emptor, September 27, 2006
The Race to Satisfy Caviar Craving - NY Times, September 27, 2006
Fire and Theft at Sunburst Trout - A fire and possible theft of caviar Thursday night, August 10th, destroyed the processing plant for Sunburst Trout in Canton, North Carolina. Potential customers should look for stolen product on the market in white 1 pound plastic tubs and 2 pound clear plastic bags. The trout caviar itself is distinctive in color, a rich orange from organic feed with omega 3's. The 4 millimeter eggs resemble salmon ikura in color. The family farm has been in operation since 1947. - LaPetitePearle.com, August 10, 2006
Jumping Sturgeon Injures Man on Jetski - Boston.com, August 9, 2006
Ban on Caviar is Boon to California Sturgeon Farms - NY Times, July 5, 2006
Romania Bans Sturgeon Fishing in Black Sea for both Domestic and International Consumption - Caviar Emptor, June 1, 2006
Ban Is Extended on Caspian Sea Caviar Exports - NY Times, April 13, 2006
Trout Caviar - ABC Rural, Australia
10 Nations Told to Halt Caviar Exports to Save Sturgeon - NY Times, January 4, 2005

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What is Caviar?

Most commonly, caviar is salted fish eggs taken immediately from the fish during spawning season. Different countries use different harvest techniques, different salts, in different quantities. The end product should taste buttery with fresh, clean flavors of the sea, not overly fishy or salty.

Caviar is now made on 4 continents, and the definitions and techniques vary widely. The Little Pearl has tested every major caviar making method and invented several others in our search for the world's best caviar making technique. Here are a few definitions to help you understand this simple, but often confusing product:

Biologically, caviar is the unfertilized eggs of fish. Roe is fertilized.

The FDA ingredients list for caviar reads (roe, salt.) "Roe" in this case means unsalted fish eggs, not fertilized fish eggs gathered in the stream bed.

French law states: if the name simply says caviar, it's from sturgeon. Caviar from other fish must list the species name, such as "salmon caviar."

This definition has carried over to the U.S. and the FDA says when the word caviar is used alone on a label it means the eggs are from sturgeon: "the name "caviar" unqualified may be applied only to the eggs of the sturgeon prepared by a special process."

In Russia, sturgeon caviar is often referred to as black caviar, and salmon caviar is referred to as red caviar.

However, in much of northern Europe, black and red caviar are dyed lumpfish, capelin, or whitefish caviar.