Be cautious of caviar labeled “Russian Osetra” or “Russian Imperial.” In many cases, “Russian” refers to the sturgeon species rather than the country of origin. Wild sturgeon populations, particularly those native to the Caspian Sea, have been subject to strict international trade restrictions under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) since the mid-2000s.

Similarly, the term “Caspian” warrants a closer look. The Caspian Sea, bordered by countries including Russia and Iran, was historically the world's most renowned source of wild caviar. Today, legitimate caviar sold in the United States is predominantly farm-raised, and references to the Caspian Sea do not necessarily indicate where the caviar was produced.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulates the importation of sturgeon caviar. Reputable importers must comply with CITES requirements, including documentation verifying the species and origin.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife monitor all caviar imported from outside the United States. Only purveyors with a CITES permit that assures the origin and species of the sturgeon are legitimate.

Beware of any caviar labeled with “beluga,” “river beluga,” or “Chinese beluga.” Pure beluga sturgeon are entirely banned from import to the United States. It is a species that primarily exists in the Caspian Sea. Since beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) is globally prohibited, anything named “river beluga” is most likely its cousin, Huso Dauricus, or Kaluga from China. Our beluga is a hybrid with siberian or farmed in the US, which keeps it within regulation.

Caviar that is labeled “siberian osetra” is also misleading. The siberian sturgeon ((Acipenser baerii) is a separate species from osetra (Acipenser gueldenstaedti). The osetra sturgeon produces a larger grain than its cousin, the siberian sturgeon, which is generally a smaller fish.

Quite often, deceiving dealers falsely advertise and sell them interchangeably. Siberian caviar tends to be less expensive than osetra due to the shorter time needed to raise Siberian to maturation. The reason caviar labels wrongfully interchange osetra and siberian is because “osetra” translates to “sturgeon” in Russian. Because there are so many different species of sturgeon, Browne only uses “osetra” to describe caviar from an actual osetra sturgeon species.

When buying caviar, you should be aware of the species, the country of origin, and the harvest date. All legitimately imported caviar is farm-raised due to the protective ban on wild sturgeon stocks.

Every importer is required by federal law to have a CITES Permit to ensure species accuracy, a “Certificate of Origin,” and a “Labeling Report” that specifies the harvest date. As a discerning customer, you should be able to request these documents. Beware if a supplier or dealer cannot produce these documents.

You should be able to trace your tin of caviar with a lot number that refers to the supplier’s legal documentation. The FDA also requires this in case of any food-related contamination or recall.

All caviar must have a “best by” date. This usually is placed on the container along with the lot number.

At Browne Trading, we take great pride in guaranteeing the highest quality, most transparent, and freshest caviars without any guesswork. Buy caviar from the only co-branded company, knowing it is traceable to the source.