FROM LUXURY TO RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION: NUTRITIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE PRODUCTION OF SIBERIAN STURGEON CAVIAR (ACIPENSER BAERII, BRANDT, 1869)

Cătălina Teodora Cîrmaciu (Florea), Laurian-Cristian Cojocariu, Cătălin Emilian Nistor*, Gabriel Vasile Hoha*, Benone Păsărin

“Ion Ionescu de la Brad” Iași University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Food and Animal Sciences, 8 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700489 Iași, Romania
*Corresponding authors: catalin.nistor@iuls.ro, gabriel.hoha@iuls.ro

DOI: https://doi.org/10.29081/ChIBA.2026.694

Abstract

Caviar is a fish-based food product of high gastronomic and economic value, traditionally associated with luxury cuisine, but increasingly examined in the context of sustainability and responsible aquaculture. This review paper summarizes current information on the consumption of caviar derived from the Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii Brandt, 1869), from nutritional, technological, and ecological perspectives. The chemical composition and biological value of caviar are analyzed, with an emphasis on proteins, Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (EPA and DHA), essential vitamins and minerals, as well as their effects on human health. The paper highlights the biological characteristics of sturgeons and their implications for sustainable caviar production. It also presents the main stages of the technological process for obtaining and processing caviar, as well as the influence of modern aquaculture systems on product quality and the conservation of natural resources. The review also addresses issues related to food safety, contaminants, traceability, and the environmental impact of intensive farming practices. Furthermore, it discusses the main challenges and prospects for the caviar industry, including the development of sustainable technologies and the reduction of pressure on wild sturgeon populations. The reviewed literature highlights that modern caviar production can integrate the product’s nutritional and gastronomic value with the principles of sustainable development and the conservation of aquatic biodiversity.

Keywords

Aquaculture caviar nutritional value sustainability wild