Caviar shelf life is something to worry about, especially if you get some of the more expensive varieties per pound. It is the period of time in which the best quality can be maintained without diminishing the texture or flavor. Some caviar can be stored frozen for up to a year, and some should never really be frozen, but only kept refrigerated. If you want to buy some caviar but are a bit worried about the caviar shelf life, here is a list of the most popular caviar varieties with their corresponding shelf lives…
This list assumes refrigerated storage at a temperature between 26 and 36 degrees F.
beluga – 4-6 weeks
osetra – 4-6 weeks
Sevruga (American) – 1 week
Sevruga (Russian) – 4-6 weeks
trasmontano – 3 weeks
sturgeon – 1 week, can be frozen up to 1 year
paddlefish – 1 week, can be frozen up to 1 year
american black – 1 week, can be frozen up to 1 year
bow fin – 1 week, can be frozen up to 1 year
ikura (salmon roe) – 1 week, can be frozen up to 1 year
trout – 1-2 weeks, can be frozen up to 3 months
White fish (black or gold) – 1 week, can be frozen up to 1 year
royal gold – 2-4 weeks, can be frozen
tobiko (all types) – 1 week, can be frozen up to 1 year
capelin roe (masago) – 1 week, can be frozen up to 1 year
vegetarian (made from seaweed) – unopened, can be refrigerated indefinitely
Snail – 3-4 months in unopened cans, 2-3 months if open
Taking these caviar shelf times into account, you can now know how much caviar to order for how many people and how long it will stay fresh. As expensive as some of these things can be, you definitely want to enjoy every bit of it to the fullest.
