The expert told about the ways to distinguish natural caviar from fakes

Against the background of a threefold reduction in the production of red caviar this year, the appearance of mass counterfeits on the market cannot be ruled out. Oleg Pavlov, head of the public council at Rospotrebnadzor, told Izvestia about how not to make a mistake in choosing a delicacy and what to pay attention to besides digital labeling.

"First, the consumer package or hard-to-remove label must necessarily indicate the word "caviar" and the type of fish from which it is obtained, - for example, "salmon" or "sturgeon", as well as the date of production, expiration date, storage conditions", - explained the expert, who noted that there should be no indication of imitation in natural caviar.

In addition, jars with salmon grain in three rows should be labeled with the following symbols: date of manufacture (date, month, year); the word "caviar"; plant number, shift number, fish industry index (letter "P"). On cans with sturgeon caviar - in two rows: date of manufacture (decade, month, year); master number.

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"Composition, net weight, nutritional value, name and location of the manufacturer, single mark of product circulation on the EAEU market (abbreviation "EAC") may be indicated in the insert sheet instead of the package or label. Nevertheless, the indication of this information is also obligatory," Pavlov emphasized.

Also, according to him, in the composition of salmon grain, along with caviar is allowed the presence of drinking water, table salt (grade "Extra" or higher), vegetable oils (sunflower, corn, olive), glycerin (E422), sodium benzoate (E211), sorbic acid (E200). In the composition of granular sturgeon fish, along with caviar, the presence of drinking water, table salt (grade "Extra" or higher), preservative LIV-2 is allowed.

"When natural caviar, even a few eggs, is immersed in boiling water, whitish flakes of coagulated protein are formed. When immersing imitation or fake protein turbidity does not occur, but the water acquires the color in which the grains were colored, which may dissolve at all," Pavlov explained.

According to him, similarly, the protein in natural caviar curdles under the influence of hydrogen peroxide. A fake will not react with peroxide or will form only a small turbidity.

"On the contrary, natural caviar does not react with iodine. Imitation caviar containing starch will turn blue if iodine is dropped on it. In addition, when defrosting after full freezing (for example, in the freezer overnight), natural caviar will practically not change its appearance. Fake - will lose its shape", - said the expert.

Earlier in the day "Izvestia" reported that in Russia the production of red caviar has decreased three times. According to the Federal State Information System in the field of veterinary medicine, for 10 months of this year natural salmon caviar produced 10 thousand tons, while for the same period of 2023 this figure was 29 thousand tons.