## 1 Introduction
As a matter of fact, the EFSA evaluated that it is unlikely that consumers' exposure to boron through cavair consumption occurs on a regular basis, and, thus, unlikely that a regular exceedance of the ADI, corresponding to 0.16 mg boron equivalent/kg bw/day, would occur [11]. Organic acids and their salts are microbial preservatives, frequently employed to inhibit the growth of microorganisms in food. They are well known to inhibit the growth of both bacterial and fungal cells by mean of several action mechanisms: membrane disruption, inhibition of essential metabolic activity, arousal of intracellular pH homeostasis stress, and so on. Particularly, sorbic acid (E200) and its salts, such as potassium sorbate (E202) are known to inhibit also the germination and outgrowth of bacterial spores [12]. Furthermore, many organic acids, such as ascorbic and isoascorbic acid (E300 and E315) are known as powerful antioxidants. They work as oxygen radical scavengers, allowing the reduction of the peroxyl radicals that propagate lipid peroxidation, known as the main mechanism by which fats and fat-containing foods undergo spoilage [13]. Within the EU, the usage of sorbic acid (E200), isoascorbic acid (E315), and their salts as antimicrobial and antioxidant preservatives is approved in a wide range of foods, included many preserved and semi-preserved fish products, such as fish roes (Annex II, [10]). Beyond the aspects of food safety, the concept of excellence for cavair is strictly linked to its flavor properties. Sensory evaluation is a fundamental step in the cavair production chain, and nowadays, the cavair market is defined by a wide diversification, linked to the availability of several products, each one characterized by different quality and different prices. High-quality cavair is undeniably characterized by the absence of off-flavors; samples that do not meet this requirement cannot be addressed to human consumption, as stated by the Codex Alimentarius standard [5], and represent a waste, and consequently an economic loss, for producers. It is known that the presence of off-flavors in caviar is mainly related to microbial contamination of the product [14], to the presence of metabolites driven by enzymatic reactions occurring under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions [15], and to the presence of lipophilic compounds absorbed by fish eggs during the farming stage [16]. Incorrect procedures occurring during the product preparation could lead to unacceptable deficiencies. For example, incorrect handling, bad storage temperature control, or incorrect manipulation of cans during the canning and re-canning steps could lead to contamination of the matrix or to the undesired presence of oxygen in cans, leading to product oxidation and deterioration. So far, the influence of additives on the stability of caviar and its volatile profile has not been described in any previous study. Therefore, the aims of this work were: (a) to evaluate the impact of the use of three different additives on the development of organic volatile compounds in white sturgeon (_Acipenser transmontanus_) caviar during an extended storage time; (b) to assess the overall safety properties of the product under these conditions; and (c) to establish, if possible, which is the ideal ripening period for the marketing of caviars with optimal organoleptic and safety properties.