small incision made along the urogenital muscle when the fish is deemed to be ready to be processed. An ultrasound is used to determine the correct timing. Removing the caviar by massage may yield higher quality and a more sustainable source. Preparation Preparation follows a sequence that has not significantly changed over the last century. First, the ovaries are removed from a sedated female sturgeon and passed through a sieve to remove the membrane. Freed roes are rinsed to wash away impurities. Roes are now ready to become caviar by adding a precise amount of salt for taste and preservation. The fresh product is tasted and graded according to quality. Finally, the eggs are packed into lacquer-lined tins that will be further processed or sold directly to customers. Substitutes In coastal British Columbia, Fraser River white sturgeon are sustainably farmed to produce caviar. A sturgeon caviar imitation is a black or red-coloured lumpsucker caviar sold throughout Europe in small glass jars. In Sweden and Finland, the roes of many fish species, including vendace, burbot, salmon and common whitefish, are also commonly eaten in a similar manner as caviar. However, they are not caviar 'substitutes' but are enjoyed in their own right. There are also kosher, and vegan caviar substitutes made of seaweeds such as Laminaria hyperborea. They resemble beluga caviar in appearance and are either used as a food prop for television and film or enjoyed by vegetarians and other people worldwide. Another common technique is to use spherification of liquids to recreate caviar's texture, albeit not the flavour. In Scandinavia, a type of sandwich spread is available, made from smoked cod roe and other ingredients, which is referred to as smörgåskaviar (meaning "sandwich caviar"). Outside Scandinavia, the product is referred to as creamed smoked roe or in French as Caviar de Lysekil. Storage and nutrition Caviar is highly perishable and must be kept refrigerated until consumption. Caviar is 48% water, 25% protein, 18% fats, and 4% carbohydrates. In a common serving amount of 16 grams (one tablespoon), caviar supplies 44 kilocalories of food energy, 53% of the Daily Value, (DV) of vitamin B12, and moderate amounts (10-15% DV) of sodium, iron, magnesium, and selenium, with no other micronutrients in significant content. See also List of hors d'oeuvre Snail caviar References Further reading Peter G. Rebeiz, Caviar – a magic history, , Sagep Editori , Genova, Italy, 2010. External links