A common red flag is anything pertaining to “Russian Osetra” or “Russian Imperial.” In most cases, “Russian” refers to the species, not the country of origin. Caviar from the Caspian Sea, all Russian osetra caviar, and ANY wild caviar export, has been closed since 2005 by CITES (Convention for Trade in Endangered Species).

When you see the word “Caspian” on the label, you should be wary of what is inside. “Caspian” refers to the sturgeon caught in the Caspian Sea that primarily borders Russia and Iran. It remains closed to the export of ANY caviar.

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 should also be less expensive. The reason caviar labels wrongfully interchange osetra is that “osetra” translates to “sturgeon” in Russian. Because there are so many different species of sturgeon, Browne only uses “osetra” to describe 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.