Caviar

Imperial Beluga & Beluga Caviar

Beluga caviar as one of the most luxurious and exclusive types of caviar is extracted from great sturgeon (Huso huso). Beluga caviar is prized for its glossy, smooth, large buttery and nutty taste and a rich and subtle flavor that melts in the mouth. The best beluga caviar has a taste with a creamy nutty flavor and no bitterness.

Beluga egg size is 2.5 to 3.6mm with the same taste. Egg size in imperial beluga is more than 2.5mm and the color is light grey.

The puberty age of the female beluga in the sea is 16 to 18 years and males 12 to 14 years and the average female length is 206 cm and males 192 cm. Under normal conditions, young adult fish will spawn every 2 to 3 years and older fish every 6 years.

In the farming environment, due to the proper temperature and supply of food and nutrition every night, the growth and development time for maturation are reduced. It can happen in male and female 8 to 10 and 9 to 11 years respectively. The average female at this age weigh between 50 to 70 kg and about 170 cm in size, with an egg laying of about 8.5 to 12 percent of body weight.

Iranian caviar has a fantastic reputation all around the world. The Persians has historically been at the top of the caviar industry harvesting from the rarest sturgeons in the world, believing it had medicinal properties and was a source of energy.

Imperial Asetra & Asetra Caviar

Asetra caviar also spelled Osetra, Ossetra, or Oscietra, is extracted from Persian and Russian sturgeons (A. persicus , A. gueldenstaedti, A. nudiventris). It is so popular and rare; some believe it is the best caviar in the world for its rich flavor. It is nutty and creamy in taste.

Asetra (ossetra) caviar varies in color from light gray to dark brown and golden brown, so it sometimes is called golden caviar. Egg size depends on sturgeon species and farming condition. Persian sturgeon (Qarah-burun/ A.persicus) egg is from 2.5 to 3.3mm, Russian sturgeon (A.gueldenstaedti) egg is from 2 to 3mm and ship sturgeon egg (A.nudiventris) is 1.5 to 2.5mm.

Asetra Garahburun Royal and Royal Gold are eggs coming from a very rare species of sturgeon (acipenser persicus) that lives in the southern part of the Caspian Sea on the Iranian shore. It is famous for the well-defined size (2.5 to 3.3mm) and the typical dodecahedral shape of the eggs. This caviar is not Beluga, but this is truly the next best thing. Many prefer Asetra’s nutty, slightly fruity flavor over Beluga.

In environments with proper temperature and nutrition, Qarah-buruns (A. persicus) females mature at age of 8 to 10 and weighing 14 to 22 kg. The approximate length of farmed Persian sturgeon is about 130 cm in maturity and its egg laying is 12 to 15% of the body weight of the fish.

In the sea the male Qarah-buruns mature at 8 to 10 years of age and the females at 10 to 12 years of age. The average caviar for each female was reported to be 5.22 kg and a maximum of 12.2 kg.

The Russian sturgeon (A.gueldenstaedti) and ship sturgeon (A.nudiventris) in breeding environments, males and females mature at age 7 and 8 to 10, respectively and their egg laying is 12 to 15% of the body weight.

The Russian sturgeon males mature in nature at the age of 11 to 13, and females at the age of 12 to 16, and the average caviar production in females is 3.5 kg. In nature, ship sturgeon males generally mature at age 9 to 13 and females at the age 13 to 16 in the Caspian Sea.

Sevruga Caviar

Sevruga sturgeon (A. stellatus, A. ruthenus) has smaller eggs than beluga or osetra (1.7 to 2.7mm) but its maturity and reproduces is the quickest. It is found in more abundance than the other two and it also comes at a less expensive price. The color is light gray to dark grey and gray black with a fine grain and have the strongest flavor of all sturgeon eggs. The egg of starry sturgeon is larger than starlet sturgeon.

One of the benefits of starry sturgeon (A. stellatus) compared to other sturgeon species is its shorter lifetime, resulting in a shorter maturity and a faster reproductive rate. It grows in the breeding environment at the age of 5 to 6 years, at an average weight of 9 to 12 kg and a size of about 120 cm and the ratio caviar to meat in this fish reaches 12 to 18 percent.

According to Berg (1948), in South Caspian Uzun-burun, males mature at the age of 11-13 and females at the age of 14-17.

In breeding farms, with good management, environmental and nutritional conditions, sterlet (A. ruthenus) females mature to be 3 to 4 years old, weighing 1 to 4 kg and total length of 60 to 80 cm and their caviar can be obtained. Their egg laying in this condition is 12 to 17 percent of their body weight.

In the wild, the weight of a sterlet is up to 16 kg and its length reaches 100 to 125 cm. Under normal conditions the males mature at the age of 3 to 7 and females at the age of 4 to 12 and the appropriate temperature for spawning is 12 to 17 ° C. (Month of May)

Baerii Caviar

Baerii caviar comes from Siberian sturgeon (A. baerii). The egg is glossy black and nut-brown and well regarded with its mild, freshness and smooth taste, which is characteristic for the Baerii caviar. Baerii also has the smallest egg with the size of 1.5 to 2.5mm.

Maturity of female Siberian fish in culturing ponds is 5 to 6 years, weighing 8 to 12 kg and body length is 80 to 100 cm and its egg laying is 12 to 17 percent of its body weight.

In the natural environment, males mature between the ages of 9 and 15 and females between the ages of 16 and 20.

Salmon Roe

Salmon fish egg or salmon roe that comes from Salmonidae has colorful appearance (shiny, bright and red-orange outer color). Salmon egg is larger than sturgeon egg  and is easily separated from one another. This egg has mild and pleasant smell and rich flavor. Salmon roe is great source of important nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, antioxidants and vitamins B12, E, D, C, and selenium, thiamine and folate.