Red caviar

Red caviar is a caviar made from the roe of salmonid fishes (various species of salmon and trout), which has intense reddish hue. It is distinct from black caviar, which is made from the roe of sturgeon.[1]

Ikura (salmon roe) on a sushi roll

Ikura don

Salmon roe butterbrot, typical Russian zakuski

Russian traditional blini with smetana and red caviar

Red caviar is part of Russian and Japanese cuisine. In Japan, salmon caviar is known as ikura which derives from Russian word икра (ikra) which means caviar or fish roe in general.[1]

In Japanese cuisine, it is usually marinated in salt or soy sauce and sake. The seasoning used varies from household to household. Many families pickle red caviar using only soy sauce, but some use dashi instead of sake or mirin.[2]

Russians enjoy red caviar as an appetizer on buttered bread[3] or on a blini (Slavic pancake).[4] Caviar on blini is often paired with sliced salmon and champagne, especially on such occasions as Russian New Year's Eve. Caviar is also a popular gift among Russians.[5]

International relations and Exportation of Red Caviar

Red Caviar is quite the exquisite cuisine to obtain, reason to why it’s so loved and adored globally, primarily structured and desired within Japan, but also enjoyed in other countries. The major countries having wild harvest fisheries for Pacific salmon, which then produce Red Caviar, also known as “Ikura”, are Japan, Russia, The United States, and Canada. Having said that it can be considered as a global cuisine, it stands to reason that Red Caviar has it ties to the Japanese culture having it be their strong want and need for this dish.  There is a small region in Japan and Korea that are able to obtain the minor source of red caviar, which are Pacific Masu and Cherry Salmon. Being able to narrow down to such a minor source to obtain the Red Caviar showcases how significant this dish is to the Japanese and other Asian countries. Not only does Red Caviar have its relationships with just other Asian countries but its importance as a dish can be shared amongst Europe and North America where Ikura is commonly consumed as hors de’oeuvres, Red Caviar is added to cream or white sauces in pasta dishes, garnish on seafood salads, fish or poultry entrees and also served as a condiment with eggs. As such a simple dish, ingredient and food, it holds quite a title in Japan and is quite important in itself on a global scale.

Processing Red Caviar Products

It is important to understand the vigorous, lengthy and strict process of how Red Caviar is made, obtained and imported into Japan because it will clearly draw the line of representing how special Red Caviar is to Japan just by acknowledging the level of work and extent they are willing to go through to get Red Caviar into Japan. Firstly, Sujiko is prepared from whole roe skeins that are brined for approximately 20 minutes in a solution of salt, nitriles and polyphosphates, and other additives and seasonings. After bringing the Red Caviar, the skeins are sorted by quality and size, this step is crucial to maintain and manage not only quality control, but also standardizing Red Caviar for Japan. The next step takes place when the skeins are then alternately layered in fine salt in a plastic or wooden container, once this process has been completed, then comes the curing process. With the plastic or wooden containers under compression, the curing is processed for 3–5 days at refrigerated temperatures below 1 °C.  The importation of the final product is then presented in Japan, where the freshly brined product is examined for its nitrite levels. A freshly brined product should contain approximately 20 ppm nitrite and the finished product should not exceed 5 ppm of nitrite, as that is the maximum concentration that is allowed to be imported into Japan. This concludes that it is a strict, refining and valuable process to achieve Red Caviar for Japan.

Quality Analysis of Red Caviar – Hardening of Red Caviar from Fresh and Frozen Eggs

Red Caviar is produced from mainly the eggs of chum salmon which is caught during spawning migration, this means that there is a very specific time where this delectable can be acquired even with its high demands in Japan, which certainly recognizes it to be a very well established dish just by noticing the quality analysis throughout the hardening of Red Caviar. It is crucial to have the appropriate processing methods and storage for the Red Caviar when maintaining the quality of these eggs. There is a difference in maturity levels resulting between salmon eggs that are fresh in comparison to those that are frozen-thawed. Throughout the storage process, there is little hardening that occurs within the eggs in the skein state of the abdominal activity due to its low maturity levels. Although the hardening may not be apparent within the abdominal activities of the fish that produces Red Caviar, substantial hardening occurs within the individual egg grains in the peritoneal cavity. Which illustrates the SDS-solubility and SDS-PAGE analysis that the macro-molecularization of egg membrane proteins occurs during egg hardening as it mainly develops and results in the peritoneal cavity.  Hardening pattern of Red Caviar is influenced by factors of protein polymerization and degradation, which down the timeline of Red Caviar production lead to the hardening of egg membraned progression after salting.