Caviar Defined

While everyone agrees that the term caviar refers to roe, whether all roe qualifies as caviar depends on who you ask.

  • In the United States, the term 'caviar' can properly be applied to any kind of roe (fish eggs) prepared after a special "salting" method. Ergo the frequency with which you have seen it on a sushi menu to reference roe from non-sturgeon species such as the Capellini Fish (Masago) or the Flying Fish (Tobiko).  
  • The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization states that roe from any fish besides the Sturgeon is not true caviar but a caviar substitute.
  • The term caviar in the context of Altima Caviar refers to caviar as defined by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization; true caviar; Caviar-the-delicacy, from the eggs of Sturgeon
  • In 1998, due to the overfishing and habitat destruction of sturgeon, sturgeon fishing and sturgeon product trade restrictions were implemented around the world. Since then, all Caviar lawfully bought and sold in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and beyond is farmed.
  • Altima Caviar considers and curates only sustainably farmed true caviar.

The term caviar in the context of Altima Caviar refers to caviar as defined by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization; from the eggs of sturgeon; True Caviar; Caviar-the-delicacy.