At what temperature should red caviar be stored in plastic?

Red caviar contains a large amount of fish oil and biochemical enzymes, and the shell of each kernel is not particularly durable. Therefore, the salmon product has a short shelf life. There are standards that regulate the conditions for the production, storage and sale of granular caviar. Regulatory acts establish acceptable storage containers, optimal temperatures, terms, and the procedure for compliance with sanitary standards. Compliance with all the rules directly affects the properties of the finished red caviar. And the topic of quality of salmon products is relevant among consumers.

Normative base

There is an established standard that applies to granular caviar of salmonids - GOST 31794. It includes a number of regulatory references, the requirements of which relate to the technical conditions of raw and food products, oil, containers, transportation, labeling, packaging and storage.

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How to freeze correctly

As noted above, the product must be of high quality. What to pay attention to:

If there are dark spots on the eggs (one per egg), this means the product is natural.
An unpleasant odor and even a slight bitterness indicate low quality caviar.
Natural caviar bursts when you bite into it, although, in fairness, it is worth noting that you should not judge the natural origin of the product by this criterion alone, since modern craftsmen have learned to “endow” this property to a synthetic product.
The jar of caviar should have a “laconic” composition written down: salt, oil, caviar. All kinds of additives and flavorings are used only to mask poor quality.
There should be no splash when shaking the jar.
The most reliable tin container for storage.
It is better if the location of the manufacturer is as close as possible to the place of production.

How to maximize the shelf life of caviar?

The shelf life of red caviar largely depends on how it was obtained and prepared. All operations for the production and storage of the product must be carried out strictly according to established standards. The quality of eggs is influenced by the following factors:

Maintaining optimal temperature during storage.
Processing of products immediately after extraction (disinfection, preservation).
Maintaining sanitary conditions throughout the entire process of processing and storing red caviar.

To extend the shelf life of a product at home after opening it, just follow five steps:

Scald the salmon-like grains with water, which must first be salted.
Transfer the product into a glass container.
Drizzle the kernels with a little olive oil.
Cover the container with cling film. A lid, especially one made of plastic, will not work here.
Place the delicacy in a cool, dark place.

For your information

When transferring the delicacy to another container, you must act extremely carefully. The eggs are fragile and can be damaged. If the integrity of the grains is compromised, the shelf life cannot be maximized.

Storage containers

The answer to the question of how to store red caviar at home involves the use of special containers. We talked earlier about not leaving the product in an open tin. The ideal option is glassware. This could be a small baby food container or a flat round container. Plastic containers will also work. But the product should remain in them for no more than two weeks.

How to store loose red caviar? The rules are the same as for caviar in factory jars (if they are not opened). It is enough to transfer it into a sterilized container. Then we take a paper sheet, moisten it with vegetable oil and place it on the neck of the jar. In this case, you can do without a lid. The main thing is to put the caviar in the refrigerator on the coldest shelf.

No one can give a 100% guarantee that an expensive product will not spoil. Therefore, you should check its condition from time to time. If the caviar begins to smell like herring, then you need to eat it urgently, since it is already spoiling.

How long does red caviar last in a tin?

Tin cans contain pasteurized or canned caviar. This means that there are preservatives added to the product. Store this delicacy on the refrigerator shelf. Optimal temperature: from +3 to -3 degrees. Shelf life: no more than 12 months.

Attention

Once the tin is opened, the grainy kernels will begin to rapidly deteriorate. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately apply measures to extend the shelf life of red caviar. First of all, transfer the delicacy into a glass container.

Shelf life of red caviar

The maximum time during which caviar can lie depends on the conditions and method of storage.

How long to store in a tin can

The label of the can must indicate recommendations for storing the product. The delicacy can be stored no longer than the indicated expiration date and only when you have purchased a high-quality natural product.

How long to store in a plastic container

In an airtight plastic container, pre-sterilized, the product will be stored for about 4 months.

How long to store in the refrigerator

Depending on the quality of the packaging, caviar can last in the refrigerator for up to 12 months. This applies to sealed cans. The delicacy can be stored in a plastic or glass container for no more than 4 months. Opened glass or plastic packaging can preserve the quality of the product for no more than 3–5 days.

How long to store in the freezer

A radical storage measure is to place the container with the delicacy in the freezer. This storage method is recommended to be used only if there are no other options. During freezing, eggs may burst and lose some useful qualities. Thawing caviar and freezing it again is strictly not recommended. If you still have to place the product in the freezer, consider some recommendations:

freeze the delicacy, first dividing it into several packages so that each is enough for one serving;
use special food bags for freezing;
To prevent the caviar from turning into a piece of ice, first remove excess moisture with a kitchen towel.

If you follow the recommendations, you can store the product in the freezer for no more than 12 months.

How long to store at room temperature

At room temperature, caviar can be stored for no more than 24 hours. This is especially true for open containers, where immediately after opening the process of oxidation and proliferation of harmful bacteria begins. Do not eat food that is more than 1 day old, as this may negatively affect your health.

In plastic

If all conditions are met, the delicacy in sealed plastic will be stored for about 6 months, and after opening up to 4 weeks. Processing a container of red caviar includes the following steps:

The container is thoroughly washed and rinsed thoroughly so that no particles of detergent remain. Whenever possible, avoid using dishwashing chemicals.
Plastic containers are immersed in boiled saline solution for 5-7 minutes. Ratio for liquid: 4 tablespoons of salt per 1 liter of boiling water.
The containers are thoroughly dried.
The inner surface of the container is lubricated with vegetable oil.

Additional Information

When packaging the delicacy, you need to ensure that the minimum amount of air entering the contents of the container. To do this, the eggs are placed tightly to each other, leaving no empty space.

Selection and preparation of storage containers

A closed glass jar of caviar can be placed in the cold without transferring the contents to another container. If this product is purchased by weight or has tin packaging, then it is better to transfer it to another container.

Glass

It is better to store the delicacy product in a glass jar. The dishes must first be rinsed with hot salted water and dried. The jar must be closed with a lid. The eggs should be placed so that as little air as possible remains in the dish.

Plastic bag

It is not recommended to store caviar purchased in bulk in a plastic bag. The eggs may burst or deteriorate in it. It is advisable to transfer the product into glass or plastic containers.

Using parchment paper

Caviar placed in a plastic bowl can be covered with a parchment sheet before closing the lid. There is always some air left in the jar, and the paper will prevent the top eggs from drying out. An open jar placed in the refrigerator for several hours can also be wrapped in a parchment sheet.

Uses of olive oil

The shelf life of caviar will increase if it is washed in cold salted water and poured with boiled but cooled olive oil. The container also needs to be rinsed with a salt solution. The caviar is washed like this: carefully pour the contents of the jar onto cheesecloth, let the liquid drain and dip it in cold salt water a couple of times.

Plastic jar

Caviar in a hermetically sealed plastic jar, from which the air has been evacuated, placed in the refrigerator, can be stored for about 6 months. If the jar is opened, the product should be eaten within 1-2 weeks. Grain bought by weight can be transferred to a plastic container.

First, the jar must be scalded with boiling water with added salt, dried well and the surface lubricated with boiled vegetable oil.

Sealed packaging

This delicious product will remain fresh for a long time if air access to it is limited. In a hermetically sealed container, caviar is isolated from microbes, so you only need to use lids that fit the jars tightly.

Cans

It is recommended to transfer caviar from a tin can into a plastic or glass container - the tin instantly oxidizes. The new container must be scalded with boiling water and salt. If the quality of the caviar is high, then there is no need to add salt or olive oil.

How long does red caviar last in the refrigerator?

To ensure that the delicacy pleases you with its pleasant taste for as long as possible while in the refrigerator, you should adhere to the following rules for storing red caviar:

The manufacturer indicates the norms and shelf life on the packaging. The parameters relate to the optimal temperature, shelf life after opening, etc. you should adhere to them.
You should not keep the product on the refrigerator door, because the temperature is higher there. It is best to place the jars on the shelf closest to the freezer.
At the bottom of the container with red caviar you can put small pieces of ice, which should be changed daily.
For longer storage, the jars are wrapped in cling film or foil.
It is not advisable to frequently open and close containers with caviar. In this case, the eggs are sprinkled with olive oil each time.

For your information

Canned products are best suited for storage in the refrigerator, since the jar indicates reliable storage times and norms. At the same time, the storage duration does not always correspond to the stated numbers, because much depends on the method of extraction and processing of red caviar.

It is better to purchase salmon grains by weight for consumption within the next 24 hours, because it is not known exactly when it was produced. Of course, you can always try such a product first to ensure its freshness. However, the next day the eggs may begin to deteriorate. However, if you take the product from conscientious sellers and follow all the recommendations for its storage, there will be no problems with the amazing taste of red caviar from the refrigerator.

How to prepare containers for storing caviar

Glass containers are most often used. It needs to be washed with soda solution, rinsed and sterilized. Sterilization is carried out using:

Pair. Hold the jar over a pan of boiling water for 5-7 minutes, then dry on a towel, placing the jar upside down.
Microwaves. Fill the containers with a small amount of water, place in the microwave at the highest power and wait until the water has completely evaporated.
Ovens. Heat the containers at 150 °C for 4–5 minutes.
Steamer or sterilizer.

Be sure to wait until the condensation has evaporated and the jar has cooled completely, and only then place the product there. Before placing caviar in containers made of other materials, they need to be prepared using one of the suggested methods:

Rinse with saline solution. Pour 4-5 tbsp. spoons of salt with 1 liter of water and boil. Pour the resulting solution over the jars. Dry and place the delicacy.
Edible alcohol. Wipe the inside of the container with vodka or food alcohol and wait until it dries. Alcohol will disinfect the container from harmful microorganisms and bacteria.
Sterilize the vegetable oil by heating until smoking, cool to 50 °C and lubricate the container. Fill the folded caviar with the remaining oil that has cooled to room temperature.
If you have a vacuum sealer, place the delicacy in food bags and vacuum seal them. If not, use the traditional vacuum method by lowering the bag of caviar into a container of water. When all the air has escaped, the bag must be sealed and sent to the cold.

Red caviar is a product that has a short shelf life. The ability to keep the treat appetizing longer depends on the characteristics of caviar production and the materials of the containers used for packaging.

The product in a sealed tin in the refrigerator remains safe for consumption for up to 10-12 months. An airtight container made of glass or plastic allows you to maintain the freshness of the product for no more than 1 month. The most radical method is freezing.

The use of the correct aging methods allows you to preserve caviar without losing useful qualities or compromising its integrity.

How long does red caviar last in the freezer?

Since the red delicacy is considered a perishable product, it will not be stored in the refrigerator for a long time. Therefore, if you purchase a large stock, it makes sense to freeze it. There are standards for proper freezing. If you do not adhere to them, then after defrosting the delicacy will lose its beneficial, taste and other properties.

Instructions for storing red caviar in the freezer:

The sealed container is pre-lubricated with a small amount of vegetable oil.
The kernels are placed in small portions so that there is no need to resort to long-term storage in the refrigerator.
The eggs should fill the container neatly and evenly.
The container is stored in a separate compartment, which is rarely opened.
Freezing bags should be placed in a row, never on top of each other. If the container is damaged or dented, its contents will turn into mush.

Attention

The permissible shelf life of the product in the freezer is 10 months. Recommended containers are plastic cups and freezer bags.

Freezing: to be or not to be

So, let's move on to the main question - is it possible to freeze caviar in the freezer, and then defrost and eat? Our answer is yes. But a number of certain rules and conditions must be observed.

Freezing stages:

You need to freeze red caviar in the freezer in parts. If the volume of the product is large, then we divide the caviar and pack it into containers of the size we need.
It is recommended to transfer the product from a tin container into a glass or plastic jar to avoid oxidation during defrosting.
It happens that there is a lot of excess liquid in caviar. Before freezing, experts suggest rinsing such a product with brine (saturated saline solution). Pour salt into a saucepan of boiling water until its concentration in the water reaches its maximum and it can no longer dissolve. Let's cool our brine. Place the caviar in a strainer and rinse with the resulting liquid, allowing it to drain completely.
It is recommended to treat the container in which frozen caviar will be stored with cooled brine (rinse lightly). You cannot freeze salted red caviar in bulk in the jar in which you brought it home. Either treat it or replace it.
Place the product in the freezer. It must be remembered that the freezing temperature of salted caviar should not be higher than -4 degrees.
No matter how hard you try, the shelf life of caviar cannot be extended by more than a year, or even less.
It is strictly forbidden to refreeze red caviar. Not only that, the product will lose all its nutrients, but it may also become unsafe for the body, not to mention its unappetizing appearance.

Advice!

To prevent the eggs from sticking together when frozen, modern housewives suggest adding a drop of glycerin.

How to store it correctly

An open jar of caviar

If the tin can with the delicacy has already been opened, then the contents should be transferred to a glass container. This is done to avoid oxidation from the tin. Before transferring, glass containers are carefully prepared: washed, dried, and greased with olive oil. And the caviar, after being transferred to a glass container, is “closed” with an oil “stopper”. Remember, the faster red caviar is eaten, the more benefits it will have for the body.

Caviar in cans can be stored longer, a whole year, naturally, if the storage conditions are not violated.

If, even if all the above conditions are met, after storage the caviar becomes watery and acquires an unpleasant aftertaste, it is better not to risk your health and dispose of the product.

The jar must contain all the necessary information about the manufacturer, place of manufacture, and date of packaging.

In a glass jar

To store caviar in a glass container with a tightly sealed lid (special lids with a silicone gasket) or under a tin lid, you need to prepare the dishes well. The jar is washed first with detergent and then with baking soda. Finally, the container is scalded with boiling water and allowed to dry naturally.

Glass containers are considered the most environmentally friendly and safe for storing delicacies.

To be on the safe side, make brine (a strong saline solution) and scald the container again. Finally, grease the bottom and walls with vegetable oil (preferably olive oil) and carefully lay out the caviar, trying not to bruise or crush the eggs. If desired, also pour vegetable oil on top so that a thin film is obtained.

In plastic

Perhaps today this is the most common container. However, it is better to use disposable tableware rather than reusable plastic containers, which get scratched over time and absorb odors. These dishes have tight-fitting lids, which is an undeniable advantage. And you can buy them in many stores. And after use, such containers are usually simply thrown away. There is no point in washing it of grease and trying to get rid of the fishy smell.

It is recommended to pay attention to the packaging labeling: some types of plastic are not suitable for heating and freezing.

Preparing for storage in such a container is not much different from preparing glass containers, only the plastic cannot be scalded (it will simply shrink), which means the shelf life of the caviar will be shorter.

You can choose plastic jars and boxes with or without a tight lid - in this case, the container is covered with cling film, this storage option is allowed.

Canning

This may be news to some, but red caviar can be preserved. The recipe is extremely simple and the process itself will not raise any unnecessary questions.

If a number of conditions are met, the treat will retain its properties for up to a year - that’s how long canned food and frozen caviar are stored.

For 1 kilogram of fresh red caviar you will need 85 grams of coarse table salt and 1 gram of potassium nitrate. The caviar is washed in boiled water, the excess liquid is allowed to drain, and mixed well with salt and saltpeter. Place in glass jars, which are first well washed and pasteurized. Cover tightly with lids and put in a cool place (storage temperature should not exceed 0 degrees). The product will reach full readiness in a couple of months.

There are several ways to prolong the freshness of the product - the jars are lined with ice, the kernels are doused with salted boiling water and poured with olive oil.

It is not recommended to prepare a large batch in this way. But it is quite possible to save 300 - 500 grams of “red gold” in this way.

Important! Potassium nitrate is used exclusively to ensure that the product retains its characteristic color.

So, red caviar is a tasty and healthy product. To avoid wasting your money, be sure to pay attention to the date of manufacture and place of production. The composition of canned food also deserves special attention. Well, if you can’t eat it at once, then take care of proper storage of the product.

It is recommended to freeze only high-quality caviar, since inexpensive products are likely to have already been frozen and defrosted at the production stage.