Caviar is a luxury food item that is usually consumed as an appetizer. Traditionally, roe from the wild sturgeon found in the Caspian and Black seas are termed caviar. The roe from other species of fish, such as paddlefish, salmon, and others, are considered substitutes for caviar. The main varieties of sturgeon that are harvested for caviar are Beluga, sterlet, Ossetra, and Sevruga. The fish eggs can be fresh or pasteurized. However, the pasteurized variety has lower economic as well as culinary value.