Beluga disease. Beluga fish. The composition and useful properties of fresh beluga

Beluga- a very large fish of the sturgeon family, even the largest - it can weigh a whole ton. It can even be said that there are no other commercial fish of this size in our seas. Of course, such specimens are rare today, and those beluga whales that are usually caught in the course of fishing reach a weight of 20 to 250 kg.

The meat of the beluga, especially in large fish, is coarser than that of other sturgeons, however, culinary specialists prepare very tasty dishes from beluga of ordinary sizes, which we will talk about a little later.

But beluga caviar is the best - tastier than that of other sturgeon fish. Many people remember, at least from the works of Russian classics of the 19th century, the phrase "beluga caviar". This caviar has always been a delicacy, an exquisite dish and usually appeared only on the tables of aristocrats - Russian princes and counts.

In terms of nutritional value, beluga caviar ranks first - it is so valuable that in some countries of America and Western Europe they pay very dearly for it - several thousand dollars per kilogram.

Light caviar, with a pearly gray tint, is considered the best and most delicious - it has a delicate aroma of hazelnuts, and almost does not smell like fish at all. Currently, the most expensive variety of beluga caviar is golden caviar - “golden caviar”, produced by Iranian manufacturers.

This caviar is not easy to get: you need to catch an albino beluga, always at the age - the fish should be almost 100 years old. Such caviar is sold in gold jars, and costs crazy money (at least for most of our compatriots) - $ 2,500 per 100 grams.

In our country, the beluga lives in the southern seas - the Black, Azov and Caspian, and spawns in rivers. The length of a beluga that has lived long enough can reach 4 m or more, and caviar in it can be up to 20% of the total weight.

Beluga is not as fat as other sturgeon representatives - it contains only about 9% fat, there are proteins, minerals and vitamins. In caviar, the content of fat, as well as protein, is much higher. Unfortunately, because of the valuable and nutritious caviar, the beluga was almost completely exterminated, and turned into an almost mythical fish.

In general, many myths and mysterious beliefs are associated with the beluga. For example, in the old days, fishermen talked about a beluga stone that could heal a person from any disease, protect against misfortunes, save a ship from a storm and attract a rich catch.

The fishermen believed that the stone can be found in the kidneys of a large beluga, and it is almost like an egg in size - flat, oval in shape. The owner of such a stone could exchange it for a very expensive product, but it is still not clear whether these stones were real or the craftsmen forged them.

Even today, some fishermen continue to believe that this stone exists, and if found, it will bring good luck and preserve health.

The fact is that once - now no one remembers exactly when, in another word - "beluga whale" - they accidentally replaced one letter with another: "x" with "g". "Belukha" is a marine mammal belonging to the species of whales, and they just know how to roar, and quite loudly.

There are many dialects in Russian - in some regions, deaf consonants are pronounced as voiced, and vice versa, which is why a completely different word has turned out.

Another belief that at one time surrounded the beluga with an ominous halo is beluga poison. Evidence that this fish itself is poisonous has not yet been found, however, fishermen say that the beluga can go berserk, as happens with cats or dogs, and then its meat becomes poisonous.

Some consider the liver of young fish to be poisonous, as well as those beluga whales that glow in the dark - they have a lot of phosphorus. At the first signs of poisoning - and they are considered nausea, dizziness, stomach pain, fever, cramps in the throat - you should immediately consult a doctor or call an ambulance.

In the old days, fishermen were treated with a weak solution of vinegar and took a laxative, in this way removing poison from the body. There have been fatal cases, especially if measures were not taken in time, but it has not yet been proven that this is caused by beluga venom.

The commercial value of the beluga is that it is used almost completely - not only meat and caviar, but also the dorsal chord, entrails, swim bladder, and sometimes skin.

Beluga meat is canned, dried, smoked, frozen; a dried swim bladder is used to make glue, which is used not only for technical purposes, but also in winemaking; the insides can also be eaten, except for the liver - it is not accepted to eat it; until recently, exclusive shoes were made from beluga skin.

An interesting product is obtained from the dorsal chord of the beluga: it is dried, chopped, mixed with eggs, herbs, rice, and pies, pies, kulebyaki are prepared - famous dishes of Russian cuisine.

In the same classics, many of us have met the mention of pies with elm - this very elm is the dried beluga chord, as well as some other sturgeon fish.

Beluga hybrids are also highly valued, although not as much as the original fish.

At present, it is difficult to find beluga caviar and meat in stores, but it is better to put up with this for now: the beluga almost disappeared as a species, and today it is restoring its population, but its commercial fishing is prohibited in many places.

Ecologists believe that the number of beluga can be restored, but this will not happen earlier than in a few decades, but for now, dishes from it will be quite expensive - not only caviar, but also canned food and salmon.

If you are lucky and you can buy beluga meat relatively inexpensively, then cook barbecue from it - this dish has always been very popular in Russian cuisine.

Beluga must be cleaned, washed well and cut into small pieces, no more than 50 g. Salt, season with spices and pour marinade.

The marinade can be prepared to taste: for example, dilute 3 tbsp. vinegar in a liter of water, add the juice of a whole lemon, mint, ginger or other herbs. Marinate the beluga for about 3 hours, and then cook like any barbecue, but remember that fish is different from meat.

Any fish should be fried more thoroughly than meat, and although 20 minutes is usually enough, it is better to overcook the beluga than undercook it, especially in light of the myths and legends that still surround it.

The kebab turns out to be surprisingly tasty, and even spoiled gourmets may like it, but you can also just cook fish soup from beluga. Of course, the fish soup will be far from simple - it’s not for nothing that the beluga is called the royal fish: the broth from it turns out to be tasty, nutritious and rich, amber-golden in color, and it retains a lot of good for our health.

Beluga can be baked, snacks, cold and hot dishes can be prepared from it; this fish goes well with fresh herbs and cucumbers.

Beluga caviar should not be served in a metal bowl - this makes it lose its taste.

In the old days in Russia, this wonderful caviar was served with very cold vodka and champagne.

Those who watch their weight should be aware of the calorie content of beluga, and especially beluga caviar. Beluga is quite high-calorie when compared with other types of fish - 100 g of the product contains 150 kcal, and caviar is even more high-calorie - it contains 235 kcal per 100 g.

In addition to calories, beluga caviar contains vitamins A, C, E, PP, group B, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, fluorine, iron, molybdenum, and we need all these substances for health and beauty.

Therefore, do not worry too much about the calorie content of beluga caviar, especially since this is a very expensive and rare delicacy - so if you have the opportunity, eat it without fear.

Gataulina Galina
for women's magazine site

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Beluga is a fish of the sturgeon family, one of the largest freshwater predators. Beluga has white dense meat, valuable because it does not crumble when cooked. Beluga females spawn black caviar, dark gray with silvery hues and a nutty flavor. It is for this reason that fish are caught in huge quantities and, accordingly, every year there is a decrease in its number.

The main habitats of the beluga are the Caspian, Adriatic, Azov and White Seas. And fish spawn in the rivers that flow into them. Today, the beluga is on the verge of extinction and is listed in the Red Book.

Beneficial features

A complete protein, of which 20% of beluga meat consists, has many useful properties. Its chemical composition includes all kinds of amino acids necessary for a person, including methionine. In addition, beluga meat contains fats, vitamins, water, ash, proteins, as well as various macro- and microelements. Omega-3 fatty acids present in fish reduce the possibility of strokes and heart attacks. Doctors recommend eating beluga meat as a diet food, for gastritis, and also to reduce the risk of diseases such as arthrosis, atherosclerosis, arthritis and osteoporosis.

Application

Beluga meat can be smoked or dried (sidewalls or teshi are used for this), it is excellent in salted, fried and baked form. The ear from this fish, which has an amazing amber color, has excellent taste. Beluga is good in a canned version with the addition of tomato, it can be frozen. Great kebabs and other delicacies are prepared from beluga meat. An excellent pate is prepared from fresh beluga milk. Beluga is well suited for smoking, it can be deep-fried, baked, barbecued or stuffed into pies. Caviar is served at the table as an independent appetizer or an ingredient for tartlets and canapes.

Calories, kcal:

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Beluga is a fish of the sturgeon family ( Acipenseridae). The species is included in the IUCN Red List.

Beluga is one of the largest freshwater fish, reaches a ton of weight and a length of 4.2 m. As an exception (according to unconfirmed reports), individuals up to 2 tons and 9 m in length were indicated (if this information is correct, then the beluga can be considered the largest freshwater fish the globe).

Beluga is a long-lived fish, reaching the age of 100 years. Unlike the Pacific ones, which die after spawning, the beluga, like other sturgeons, can spawn many times in a lifetime. After spawning, they migrate back to the sea.

Previously, the beluga was relatively numerous, but over time, its stocks became very scarce.

Beluga is a very valuable commercial fish. It has the most delicious and healthiest meat in its properties, and is also a valuable producer (calorificator). It is this feature of the beluga that has led this species of fish to almost complete extinction.

Now beluga meat has practically disappeared from the shelves, and has completely disappeared. This happened due to the fact that the fish population can now recover, but can no longer be harvested for industrial purposes.

Scientists predict that it is possible that the number of beluga will recover in natural conditions, but many decades will pass before it can be said with certainty that this species of fish is no longer in danger of disappearing.

fresh beluga calories

The calorie content of fresh beluga is 147 kcal per 100 grams of product.

The composition and useful properties of fresh beluga

Fresh beluga meat contains vitamins: A, groups B, D, and it is also one of the richest sources of trace elements: calcium, phosphorus, potassium.

Beluga fresh has the lowest fat content, which is a positive distinguishing feature. It is also useful in that 20% of the total mass of this fish is easily digestible proteins.

The chemical composition of fresh beluga contains various amino acids, including methionine, which is indispensable for the body.

The use of fresh beluga in cooking

Fresh beluga meat is frozen, canned, smoked and dried.

Processed in a granular way, or barrel granular redistribution, or added to it, making it pressed.

In addition, vyaziga is prepared from the dorsal chord of the beluga - a dish that is useful and popular in the habitats of this species of fish.

The entrails of the beluga, except for the liver, are also edible (calorizator). But they are consumed only fresh, as they do not tolerate freezing, canning, or other processing methods.

The use of fresh beluga in production

Dried beluga swim bladder is used to make beluga glue. This glue is used for clarification of wines and for many other purposes, including technical ones.

From the skin of large beluga individuals, expensive shoes were previously made.

For the normal functioning of the human body, the intake of a sufficient amount of methionine is necessary. Its source is the protein contained in beluga meat. That is why this fish is of particular value. It is known that methionine normalizes digestion and helps the normal functioning of the liver, as well as accelerates the healing of tissues and removes toxins from the body.

This valuable fish from the sturgeon family contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals. Substances such as sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and copper have a positive effect on human health. Vitamin B4 helps lower blood cholesterol levels and normalize blood pressure. Also, choline (vitamin B4) prevents the formation of gallstones. Beluga meat contains a significant amount of nicotinic acid, which dilates small blood vessels. Due to the content of this component, beluga can help with nervous disorders and migraines.

As for calories, there are 114 calories per 100 g of raw meat. By the way, there are almost 2 times more of them in caviar. Beluga caviar has a pleasant pearl color and is extremely nutritious. Beluga meat is rather tough, but this does not prevent you from preparing various delicious dishes from it. In ancient times, this fish was considered a real delicacy and was present only on the richest tables.

Boiled beluga with mushrooms

To prepare boiled beluga with mushrooms, you will need: 500 g of fish fillet, 100 g of fresh mushrooms and olives, carrots, 2 pickles, parsley root, lemon, 200 ml of broth, 3 tbsp. spicy tomato sauce, bay leaf and herbs, as well as salt, pepper and sugar to taste.

Wash and clean the beluga, and then cut it into portions. Put the fish in a saucepan, cover with hot water and add the peeled mushrooms, salt, bay leaf and some pepper. Simmer until tender about 25 minutes. Then take out the beluga and mushrooms, and strain the resulting broth. Wash the carrots and parsley root, peel them, chop them finely and soak in a small amount of water. Add boiled mushrooms and chopped pickles. Simmer over low heat for a couple of minutes. Now it remains to take the hot sauce and pour vegetables over it. Pour in the strained broth and put salt, sugar and pepper to taste. The resulting mixture should be brought to a boil and cooked for 10 minutes. Put the boiled beluga on a dish and pour over the sauce, garnish with herbs and olives.

Beluga skewers

If you want to cook beluga skewers, take a fish fillet (500 g), wash it, clean it and cut it into small portioned cubes. Combine chopped beluga with chopped onion (150 g), pour sour cream (200 ml), salt and pepper to taste. Put the fish to marinate for 3.5 hours.

After the specified time, string the marinated pieces on skewers. Don't forget to alternate it with onion rings. Grill the skewers for about 15 minutes. The finished dish can be decorated with chopped dill.

Beluga is one of the largest predatory fish. Previously, it was a fairly common species, however, due to the constantly deteriorating environmental situation, as well as the increasing cases of poaching, the beluga was recognized as an endangered species and listed in the Red Book.

The main advantage of such a fish as beluga is the cost. The fish, although it has rather tough meat, is much cheaper (no more than $ 15 per kilogram) than most sturgeon representatives, while not inferior to them in its taste.

Since beluga caviar is one of the most expensive in the world, the beluga population in natural conditions is so insignificant that it is supported only by breeding fish in fish farms and private reservoirs.

Sturgeon family: description

Fish belong to the sturgeon family, the first representatives of which appeared many centuries ago. They differ from other species of fish in their characteristic features of appearance, the main feature of which is five rows of bone shields located along the elongated body of the beluga.

Like all sturgeon fish, the beluga has an elongated head, while in its lower part there are 4 antennae that reach the mouth of the beluga. In addition, the structure of sturgeons contains features of cartilaginous fish that are more primitive in structure, however, the main distinguishing feature of sturgeons is that the base of their skeleton is an elastic cartilaginous chord, thanks to which the fish fully develops even taking into account the fact that it has no vertebrae in its structure.

The most common sturgeon species include various varieties of sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, kuluga, beluga and sterlet. These are quite large fish, among which the largest is the beluga. The fish can reach a length of up to 4 meters. At the same time, the weight of some individuals in rare cases exceeds a ton. Despite the fact that the beluga is found in large numbers mainly within the Caspian and Black Seas, where it is distributed almost everywhere, during the spawning period, the beluga literally fills large freshwater rivers.

Beluga: description of the fish

Beluga is one of the largest freshwater fish. Depending on the habitat, its weight reaches from 50 kg to 1 ton. The average weight of beluga fish caught on an industrial scale ranges from 50-80 kg. This migratory fish is a real long-liver, because the age of some individuals reaches one century.

In fact, the beluga is a predator that begins to hunt even in the fry stage. Individuals that spend most of their lives in sea water feed mainly on fish. In addition, in nature, beluga can form mixed (hybrid) varieties, among which crossings are most common:

• With sterlet - forms a fish called bester, which is the most common beluga hybrid. It is grown as the main source of sturgeon on an industrial scale. This is primarily due to the good characteristics of its meat obtained during processing, as well as its direct nutritional value, as a result of which the quality of products created from this fish allows it to maintain a consistently high demand for it.
• stellate sturgeon.
• Spike fish.
• Sturgeon.

These beluga hybrids are common both within the Sea of ​​Azov and in some reservoirs.

Distinctive features

In addition to its size, this fish can be distinguished from other representatives of sturgeon by a thick cylindrical body and a short pointed nose. It is slightly translucent as a result of the fact that there are no bone shields on it. Her mouth occupies the entire width of her head, a thick lip hangs over it. The antennae on the lower part of the head differ from the similar organ of other fish belonging to the sturgeon group in their width and length: in other fish they are smaller. The bony shields on the head, flanks, and peritoneum are underdeveloped. On the back, the number of scutes reaches 13, on the sides - 40-45, and on the peritoneum does not exceed 12.

Ash-gray color prevails on the body of the beluga. The color of the belly ranges from white to light gray, the nose is yellowish.

Beluga meat

Unlike other fish, beluga meat is rather coarse in structure, but nevertheless it has excellent taste qualities, for which it is valued all over the world. Excellent balyk products are made from it. In addition, many cold and hot dishes are made from it, as well as a variety of snacks.

It is from the beluga that the best caviar is obtained, catching on an industrial scale individuals whose weight starts from 5 kg, however, since the beluga is the largest freshwater fish, its weight in most cases significantly exceeds these figures. Despite the fact that beluga fish is a long-liver, the maximum age of individuals caught on an industrial scale does not exceed 30-40 years.

Habitat

The main habitats of the beluga are the Black and Caspian Seas with all the rivers flowing into them. In fact, the beluga is a fish that lives most of the time in the water, and enters the rivers only when it reaches an age suitable for breeding.

After that, she returns back to the sea, but already together with the fry. It is noteworthy that she prefers not to go far, even though due to her impressive size she can have little to no fear of attack from other freshwater predators. In addition, the beluga has almost completely stopped its natural reproduction, and its population is mainly supported by fish farms and private reservoirs.

Zimovye

Beluga is a red fish that prefers to winter in yatovs (river pits), where it goes out in order to rise and spawn with the onset of spring. Juveniles prefer to go to winter quarters in rivers or settle in shallow sea depths. At an average depth, the beluga prefers to rest, having already spawned and returned to the sea before the first frost. The largest and adult individuals can only be found at great depths, however, due to their physiological characteristics, most of them are no longer capable of reproduction.

During the onset of cold weather, the body of the beluga is covered with a thick layer of mucus (sleum), and the fish falls into a state of stupor, until the onset of a thaw. At the same time, the beluga, falling into hibernation, stocks up on food for several months. When catching a beluga during this period, completely undigested mollusks, small crustaceans and the remains of a waterfowl wintering on rivers are often found in its stomach.

spawning

Belugas of different sizes spawn at different times, but for the youngest individuals, this period falls in mid-spring and continues until autumn. The place for spawning is deep places with a fast current, in which a rocky or cartilaginous bottom prevails. Some of the spawning individuals go to the deepest and coldest places on the river, and some return to the sea.

Beluga caviar is quite large and resembles peas in size. It is noteworthy that one individual can reproduce caviar volumes that make up 1/5 of its body. In this case, the number of eggs reaches several million. Young fish soon go to sea, where they live until they reach sexual maturity.

Meals and cost

Beluga is a fish whose food is mainly mollusks, crustaceans and small fish. In some cases, it can eat birds resting or hunting on the water, as well as small freshwater animals.

Within the Caspian Sea, it serves as the main source of fishing, and although the beluga is a fish, the price of which is much lower than that of sturgeon (from 10-15 dollars per kilogram), its unique large caviar is much more expensive than other red fish. An example is the “diamond” caviar of albino beluga, the cost of which reaches 18,000 euros. This cost is due to the fact that albino beluga spawns its rich golden caviar approximately once every 100 years. At the same time, no more than 8-10 kg of caviar goes on sale in Europe per year.

• The commercial weight of the beluga starts from 5 kilograms, however, the largest beluga fish reached a length of 7 meters and exceeded one and a half tons in weight.
• Fish, going to spawn, try to find an ideal place for themselves, without finding which, they may not spawn at all.
• Starting to spawn, the beluga breaks the bottom and lays eggs, surrounded by a large number of snags and reeds.
• It spawns up to a million eggs, which are highly valued by amateurs from all over the world.

Biological features

Beluga can be divided into two main varieties:

• winter:
• spring.

This fish leads an exclusively bottom-pelagic way of life.

In the sea it keeps mostly alone. The period of puberty occurs in males at 12-15 years, and in females at 16-18 years, while it must be remembered that, since beluga is a long-lived fish, individuals whose age exceeds the mark of 50-60 years completely lose ability to reproduce offspring.

Beluga, which is bred in captivity, reproduces by artificial insemination. In addition, thanks to this method, it was possible to breed most of the beluga hybrids grown in fisheries.