Red caviar is one of the most popular delicacies on our holiday tables. This product is not only tasty, but also very useful for the human body. However, at present, the market is literally overflowing with fakes, since modern technologies make it possible to very accurately imitate the appearance and taste of caviar. In order not to become a victim of unscrupulous sellers, you should know how to distinguish real from artificial caviar.
What packaging with natural caviar should look like
When choosing red caviar, you need to carefully examine the packaging, real caviar is packed only in glass jars. Glass is a chemically neutral material, unlike tin or, moreover, polyethylene. A transparent container allows you to examine in detail the caviar itself, its color, shape and size of the eggs.
Eggs of real caviar always have the correct shape, they stick together slightly, have a beautiful color and the same size. The lid of the can should not be easily pressed inward, and even more so it should not have swelling. The labeling of the lid of a can with quality products should be squeezed out from the inside, if the numbers are stamped on the outside - this is counterfeit products.
The package must indicate the fishing period for the fish from which the caviar was taken, most often July or August. If a different period is indicated on the package, it is better to refrain from such a purchase. The code on the cover must be embossed and include the following information: date of manufacture, plant number, shift number, the word "caviar" and the letter "P" - this is the fishing industry code.
Recently, a mixture of artificial caviar with natural caviar has begun to be sold on the market. This information should also be displayed on the package. In addition, pay attention to the contents on the packaging, especially whether there are detailed instructions for defrosting caviar before use.
How to check the naturalness of a product by eggs
If you turn the jar with real caviar in your hands for a short time, it will become noticeable that the eggs stick together a little, since they have a slight stickiness. If a whitish bloom is observed on the eggs, this is an unconditional sign of an artificial fake.
High-quality natural caviar is packed tightly in a jar, and when it is turned over, the eggs should practically not move. A jar of red caviar of the first grade must be filled only with eggs of the same shape, color and size. Caviar of the second grade may contain a mixture of eggs of different species of salmon, which makes the product less attractive in appearance.
Sometimes, quite rarely, weight red caviar goes on sale. If it is a shapeless mass that sticks to everything, do not hesitate - this is a fake, and also of very low quality. The easiest way to check the naturalness of red caviar is by throwing a few eggs into boiling water, the fake will dissolve in boiling water.
