Beluga Caviar

The Beluga (huso huso) is the largest of all sturgeons (up to 6 meters/20 feet in length) and is the only carnivore. The Beluga has been known to weigh 600 kg (1,323 lb) or more, but unfortunately, because of aggressive modern fishing methods such a size seems extremely unlikely these days. At the beginning of the twentieth century the Beluga caviar accounted for 40 per cent of the sturgeon catch - in 2005, it was barely one per cent.

Beluga is silvery-grey in color and differs from other sturgeon in that it loses the bony scales along its length after it is a few months old. It has a large, compact head with a pointed snout and a large mouth, which in a full-grown adult is up to 25 cm (10 in) wide. Two sets of barbels (rather like whiskers), which all sturgeon use to locate their food, are situated under its mouth. Up to 25 per cent of the Beluga's body weight may consist of eggs, although individual fish have been recorded carrying up to 50 per cent. The female does not mature until about 25 years of age and may not spawn every year. Like all sturgeon, Beluga can keep their eggs inside them for more than one season, if the conditions and temperature are not favorable for spawning.

Because of its immense size, the Beluga caviar has the biggest eggs, which are the most highly prized for their large grain and fine skin. The egg color varies from light grey to nearly black. The lightest grey is the most highly appreciated, although the taste, described by experts as "a faint flavour of the sea", should not be affected by the egg color.

Beluga caviar is protected as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. This law generally prohibits the import/export and interstate sale of listed species and products made from them. The United States banned the importation of beluga caviar from the Caspian Sea basin as of September 30, 2005, and from the Black Sea basin as of October 28, 2005. No beluga caviar from any country in these basins could be legally imported after these dates. The affected countries include Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine.

For those interested in Beluga Caviar, we recommend our Iranian Karaburun Ossetra Caviar. The Karaburun Ossetra is the closest roe we have seen to Beluga when comparing Size, Color, and overall Taste and Quality. For detailed information about Iranian Karaburun Ossetra Caviar, please click here.

For more information about Beluga caviar and the legal rules/regulations relating to importing caviar, please visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.

Our Recommended Beluga Substitute

Beluga Caviar Alternative, Beluga Caviar Substitute

Karaburun Caviar is a variety of Iranian Ossetra Caviar which boasts a nutty, creamy roe. The flavor can only be described as a perfect balance of salt and butter undertones. The texture is silky yet separate eggs hold together well in a mass.

Karaburun refers to the particular sturgeon (acipenser persicus) which is native to the southern Caspian Sea, and is mainly processed by Iranian fisheries. Karaburun caviar is distinct in that it is one of the only remaining wild sturgeon that is not considered an endangered species because of the efforts put forth by the Iranian Ministry of Fisheries.

Efforts to insure sustainability of Karaburun Caviar include the raising of millions of young sturgeon in a controlled environment before releasing the fingerlings into the Caspian Sea. Once the sturgeon have matured, they are caught and delicately harvested by the same fisheries that released them into wild. As a result, Karaburun Caviar has become one of the most sought after caviars in the world as it is truly the only proper Beluga substitute.

Iranian Sevruga - 2oz. Tin

Iranian Sevruga - 2oz. Tin

Russian Ossetra Caviar - 4.5oz. Tin

Russian Ossetra Caviar - 4.5oz. Tin

Russian Sevruga - 4.5oz. Tin

Russian Sevruga - 4.5oz. Tin

Iranian Karaburun Ossetra - 4.5oz. Tin

Iranian Karaburun Ossetra - 4.5oz. Tin

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