The Tasting Notes: Caviar keeps best cold, between minus two and plus two degrees Celsius, in the back of the fridge. Unopened, a fresh tin is best enjoyed within weeks; once opened, eat it within 24 to 48 hours. Never freeze it, and always follow the best-before date on the tin.
Caviar is a delicate thing. It's mostly egg, oil and a little salt, which means it rewards good handling and punishes carelessness fast. Store it well and every pearl keeps its firm pop and clean flavour. Store it badly and even the finest tin turns soft and dull within days.
The good news is that keeping caviar fresh is simple once you know the rules. Cold, sealed, and eaten in good time. That's most of it.
At London Caviar Company we want every tin to taste exactly as it should when you open it, so here's the straightforward guide to storing and handling caviar at home.
Why does temperature matter so much?
Caviar is rich in proteins and delicate oils, and those break down quickly in the warmth. Cold is what holds everything together.
The ideal range is minus two to plus two degrees Celsius, which is colder than most fridges sit by default. At that temperature the egg membranes stay firm, the signature pop is preserved and bacteria can't get going. Let it drift above four degrees, though, and the pearls start to soften and the flavour turns. Every degree warmer shortens the life of the tin, so cold and steady is the whole game.
Does caviar need to be refrigerated?
Yes, always. Fresh caviar is a perishable product, not a store-cupboard one, so it belongs in the fridge from the moment it arrives.
When your order lands, take it out of the packaging and get it into the fridge straight away. Don't leave the box sitting on the counter while you put away the rest of the shopping. A few minutes is fine; an afternoon in a warm kitchen is not.
Where's the best spot in the fridge?
Not the door. That's the warmest part and the temperature swings every time you open it, which is exactly what caviar hates.
The coldest zone is usually the back of the bottom shelf, where cold air settles. That's where your tin wants to live. If you're serious about it, a small fridge thermometer takes the guesswork out, and keeping the tin away from anything strongly scented matters too, because caviar readily absorbs the smell of its neighbours. Onions, garlic, ripe cheese and other seafood are all bad company.
How long does caviar last?
This is the question everyone asks, and the honest answer is: it depends on the caviar and whether it's been opened.
The single most important factor is whether the caviar is fresh or pasteurised. Fresh caviar, the kind cured only lightly with salt in the traditional malossol style, is best enjoyed within weeks of packing, not months. Pasteurised caviar has been gently heated to extend its life and can keep for considerably longer unopened, though it trades away a little of that delicate texture in return.
Because it varies by product, the golden rule is simple: always follow the best-before date printed on your tin. That date is specific to what you've actually bought, which no general guide can beat.
Once the tin is open, the clock speeds up for every type. Air is now the enemy, and even the best caviar should be eaten within 24 to 48 hours. Keep it cold in between, and cover the surface as described below.
How do I store caviar once it's open?
Opened caviar needs protecting from air. Oxygen is what dulls the flavour and softens the pearls once the seal is broken.
The trick the professionals use is to lay a small piece of cling film directly onto the surface of the caviar before pressing the lid back on. That removes the pocket of air above the roe and slows oxidation right down. Then get it back into the coldest part of the fridge as quickly as you can. The less time it spends warm and exposed, the better it holds.
If you know you won't finish a large tin in one sitting, a neat tactic is to buy smaller tins rather than one big one. An unopened tin keeps far longer than a half-eaten one, so several small tins waste less than a single large one you can't get through.
Can you freeze caviar?
It's tempting, but no. Freezing fresh caviar ruptures the delicate egg membranes, and what you get back after thawing is a mushy, weeping mess rather than firm pearls.
The texture is most of what you're paying for with good caviar, so freezing defeats the point. Keep it properly cold in the fridge instead, and simply buy it closer to when you plan to serve it.
How do I know if caviar has gone off?
Trust your nose. Fresh caviar smells clean, like a light sea breeze, never strongly fishy.
If a tin smells sour, sharply fishy or of ammonia, that's your sign it's past its best, and you should let it go. The pearls turning noticeably mushy or the oils separating and pooling are other giveaways. When properly stored and eaten in good time you'll rarely meet any of this, but it's worth knowing what to look for.
A few handling habits worth keeping
Small things protect a tin. Serve caviar with a mother-of-pearl, bone or glass spoon rather than metal, which reacts with the roe and leaves a tinny note. You'll find the right tools among our caviar accessories.
When serving, sit the tin in a bowl of crushed ice to hold the temperature, and only open it when guests are ready. Spoon out small portions rather than leaving the whole tin out to warm, and return the rest to the fridge promptly. None of this is fussy once it becomes habit, and it's the difference between good caviar and great caviar on the night.
Enjoy every tin at its best
Storing caviar well comes down to a few simple habits: keep it cold at the back of the fridge, away from strong smells, sealed against the air and eaten in good time. Follow the best-before date, never freeze it and trust your nose. Do that and every variety, from Baerii to Beluga, rewards you with the firm pop and clean flavour it's meant to have.
Getting that experience right, every time, is what we care about. London Caviar Company is a London-based company, founded in 2021 by three caviar enthusiasts who believed premium, sustainably sourced caviar shouldn't be reserved for the few. Every tin is Friend of the Sea certified and ethically farmed, which is part of why we hold a four-star Trustpilot rating across more than 195 reviews. When you're ready to restock, you can buy caviar online with free UK delivery on orders over £200.
Got a question about keeping your caviar at its best? We're always happy to help. Get in touch and we'll talk you through it.