National Caviar Day 2020: Why is Sturgeon Fish Egg Expensive? Here’s The List of Top Five Highly Priced Caviar

National Caviar Day is annually celebrated on July 18. This event is observed to recognise a seafood delicacy with roe on toast. This day also raises awareness about the survival of the sturgeon. Caviar is the roe from wild sturgeon found in the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. Caviar is simply sturgeon fish eggs which are loaded with protein and vital minerals. The colour of caviar varies as they come from different species of sturgeon fish. On the occasion of National Caviar Day 2020, let's take a look at why caviar is expensive and also check out its five varieties which are highly-priced.

Why is Caviar Expensive?

Caviar is just not a regular fish egg but is a status symbol and having it is considered a luxury. Caviar is expensive because 18 out of the 27 species of sturgeon fish are considered endangered. Rarer the sturgeon more will be the price of that caviar. Also, these fish eggs are harvested by hand which increases the labour cost. Caviar has also been marketed as the food fit for the aristocracy, which has further increased its value. Here's a look at top five expensive caviar.

Top Five Expensive Caviar 

1. White Gold Caviar - A teaspoon of this caviar costs around $ 40,000.  Here, the eggs are taken from a rare albino sturgeon fish which are farmed exclusively for the royalty. This caviar has the taste of fresh fish and is available in restaurants across Dubai to Monaco.

2. Almas - Almas means 'diamond' in the Russian language. This is one of the best caviars in the world, as the roe is derived from rare albino Sturgeon fish that is about 60 to 100 years old and lives in the relatively less polluted Caspian Sea. A teaspoon of this caviar costs $25,000.

3. Imperial Golden Osetra Caviar - The imperial golden osetra caviar is also known as 'Royal Caviar'. It is one of the rarest and called 'royal' because it was preserved for the royals alone. This nutty flavoured caviar colour varies from golden to greenish and it is also considered as an aphrodisiac. This caviar is priced at $ 10,400.

4. Iranian Sevruga - This caviar is delicious and its taste will make you want to eat it again and again. It is elegant and priced at $ 8,630.

5. Iranian Imperial Wild Caviar - This caviar comes in grey and black coloured eggs which are bigger than the size of a pearl. They are harvested from the Iranian Caspian Sea and are priced at $ 3,027.

It must also be noted that sturgeon fish don't reach maturity until they are between 6-25 years old, depending on the breed. Caviar made from less-endangered domestic-variety sturgeon does tend to be cheaper. On National Caviar Day 2020, enjoy some fair trade caviar and try to explore more about the ancient sturgeon.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 18, 2020 10:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).