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I
WHAT IS CAVIAR ?
A
Types of Sturgeon fish
B
Quality control
II
THE CITES ORGANIZATION.
A
Universal labeling system for the identification of
caviar
One
of the great culinary pleasures known to mankind is
cured sturgeon roe ( Or Sturgeons eggs ) , known as
caviar. Caviar is a valuable nutritious food that is
taken from the female sturgeon fish. Sturgeons are
primitive fish that evolved some 250 million years ago.
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25
species and sub-species of sturgeons have been
identified so far. All sturgeon species produce caviar
but the most rare and expensive kinds are only the 3
below mentioned species, living only in the Caspian Sea.
The specification of these valuable fishes is as
follows:
BELUGA
(Scientific
Name HUSO HUSO):
Weight:
75 1000 KG ( Can reach up to 1300 KG )
Length:
5 6 meters
Life
expectancy: Max. 150 years
One
Beluga fish produce caviar 20% - 25% of body weight
Beluga
caviar has a dark to light gray (which is known as Royal
Beluga or Royal pearl) color, and the eggs are large
with a thin shell . Beluga has the largest egg amongst
caviar.
OSCIETRA
(3
Scientific Names ACIPENSER PERSICUS /
ACPS. GULDENSTUT / ACPS. NUDIVENTRIS ):
Weight:
20 KG 35 KG
Length:
2.5 meters .
Life
expectancy: average 50 years
One
Asetra fish produce caviar 20% - 25% of body weight.
Oscietra
caviar has a dark to light gray and sometimes golden
color ( which is known as Imperial caviar or royal
gold ) OSCIETRA eggs are medium size with a thin shell
SEVRUGA
(
Scientific Name ASIPENCER STELLATUS ) :
Weight:
20 KG
Length:
1 to 1,4 meters
Life
expectancy: average 30 years
One
Sevruga fish produce caviar 15% - 20% of body weight.
Sevruga
caviar is dark gray, and has the smallest eggs and
delicious taste.
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The
quality and hygienic conditions of caviar is crucial
from the fishing stage to the final stage of packaging
for export.
All
these stages are precisely controlled by many
laboratories of the Iranian Fisheries Company, SHILAT.
SHILAT
s guarantee for the export of Iranian caviar:
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To
prevent any misuse of the Iranian caviars title
in the International markets, each can of Iranian
caviar is placed in a piece of net which has been
sealed on both sides with consecutive digits.
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These
exclusive seals have been registered at the
international level and come in 3 colors including
blue , yellow and red which represent respectively
Beluga , Oscietra and Sevruga .
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Every
single tin of caviar is labeled according to the
International labeling system created by CITES
organization , specially for caviar .
This
is how you can be certain if Iranian caviar is genuine
and not tampered with.
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The
Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of wild fauna and flora (part of the United
Nation Environmental Program) was signed by 26
member countries, including Iran, in Washington D.C.
on March 1973.
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Preservation
of the remaining stock of endangered species of wild
fauna and flora is the main goal of this
organization.
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CITES
(having at present 144 active members) undertakes to
initiate specific appropriate mechanisms for trade
in endangered species of wild animals and plants
among members countries.
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According to agreement of members, 3 appendixes are
attached to this convention in which, each one of
species of wild fauna and flora are included
according to the range and intensity of damages
already imposed to their population and stock.
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The
appendixes are as follows:
APPENDIX
1:
This
appendix includes the species very close to complete
extinction whose trade amongst member countries are
either totally forbidden or done under very specific
limited circumstances.
APPENDIX
2 :
The
species included in this appendix, unlike those listed
in the first one , are not so close to immediate
extinction but in order to prevent them getting into
this situation in the future , it is necessary to
monitor and control their trade amongst members.
APPENDIX
3 :
This
appendix includes the species for which the member
countries , in regards to their own environmental
circumstances, ask CITES to adopt special regulations
for import and export amongst member countries.
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It
should be noted that out of the 25 species of
sturgeon living worldwide, 2 species that live in
North America are listed in appendix 1 , and the
rest of the sturgeons species are listed in the
appendix 2 .
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HE
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN, as an active member of
CITES, has always paid great attention and attempts
to reserve the Stocks of endangered species from
extinction.
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SHILAT
TRADING COPRPORATION, as the exclusive producer /
exporter of Iranian caviar, has always been
cooperating with CITES and helped it to reach
its objectives through initiation of effective means
such as :
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standardizing
the catch , reproduction of millions of sturgeon
babies and release them into the sea each year and a
lot of other useful undertakings.
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GOURMET HOUSE by being the sole agents
and distributors for Iranian caviar in the G.C.C.
region are
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Following
the resolution Conf. 11.13 of the CITES organization
, a universal marking system for the export of
caviar from producing countries to the initial
country of import was implanted for all caviar trade
, in an attempt to limit and stop illegal caviar
trade.
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As
for the labeling system, the following details will
be printed on the back of caviar tins holding GOURMET HOUSE logos, and it is the international
labeling system according to the rules and
regulations of CITES. Each tins not holding this
type of labeling is not within our responsibility
and is not considered Official CITES caviar.
1st
Line: Production date / Expiry
date
2nd
Line: PER/ W/ IR/ 2003/ AE-0001/ 856
PER:
First three letters of the scientific name of the
sturgeon species
W:
Wild Species
IR:
Iranian Origin
2003:
Year of Harvest of Species
AE
0001: International registration company number
given to Gourmet House by CITES from Ministry of
Agriculture & Fisheries, U.A.E and is
internationally registered with CITES headquarters in
Geneva, Switzerland.
856
CITES number from Iran
The
Country of Origin has to be explicitly printed on top of
the tins and not under the tins with bold clear letters
so as not to baffle the customer.
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