Storing This Food
Store fresh caviar in the coldest part of the refrigerator; it will spoil within hours at tempera-
tures above 39°F.
Store jars of caviar in a cool, dark place.
Preparing This Food
Always serve caviar in a dish (or jar) nestled in ice to keep it safe at room temperature. The
roe contains so much salt that it will not freeze.
When making canapés, add the caviar last so that the oil does not spread and discolor
the other ingredients.
What Happens When You Cook This Food
How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food
Pressing. Pressed caviar is caviar with 10 percent of its moisture removed. As a result it con-
tains more nutrients per ounce than regular caviar and is even higher in sodium.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits
Omega-3 fish oils. Caviar contains the same protective oils found in other fish (see fish).
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food
Food/Drug Interactions
MAO inhibitors. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors are drugs used as antidepressants
or antihypertensives. They inhibit the action of enzymes that break down tyramine, a
natural by-product of protein metabolism. Tyramine is a pressor amine, a chemical that
constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure. If you eat a food that contains tyramine
while you are taking an MAO inhibitor, the pressor amine cannot be eliminated from your
body and the result could be a hypertensive crisis (sustained elevated blood pressure). Caviar
contains small amounts of tyramine.
Caviar