To remove the excess chlorine, this Astrakhan salt was stored in a dry room for seven years. Today, the sea salt originates from the mouths of many different rivers in Russia. It is chemically purified and free of iodine. Recently, Iran began purchasing Russian salt in order to ensure that the quality of their final product is as consistent as Russia's. The salt acts both as a preservative and as a curing agent on the caviar.
Raw caviar is almost without texture.
Borax is added to the caviar destined for Europe at the same time as the salt. Much to the North American caviar connoisseurs dismay, borax is an illegal food additive in the United States. Thus, the caviar available here contains only salt and fish roe. Once the salt is evenly distributed, the caviar is passed over a very fine mesh to remove any excess liquid. The finished caviar is packed into the familiar lacquer- coated tins and sealed with elastic bands to be shipped to a distributor.