Abstract
Over the last six decades, there has been a significant increase in demand for fish and fish products. Among these, fish roe has been one of the most sought-after culinary items traded globally, with it is value and perception are based on cultural factors and familiarity with fish roe products. Fish roe refers to the mature and immature ovaries of fish, as well as a range of aquatic animals such as shrimp, squid, sea urchins, and scallops. Although the shelf life of raw fish roe is quite limited, a range of processing methods including salting, drying, smoking, fermentation and canning are mostly applied to maintain the quality of the roe product and extend shelf life, as well as enhance flavor. Processing techniques vary depending on fish species, egg/roe quality, harvest location, destined market, and other artisanal and technological criteria. There are well-known fish roe products such as caviar, bottarga, ikura, karasumi, tobiko, mentaiko, and avgotaracho. A thorough understanding of the safety of these fish roe products is required to ensure the healthiness of the roe products and secure their place in international trade. However, comprehensive knowledge of the safety aspects of fish roe products is quite limited. The purpose of this chapter is to provide detailed information on the safety of fish roe products and to highlight important aspects of quality control to assure food safety and eliminate hazards. Factors that contribute to microbial diversity and richness in fish products, as well as the factors that lead to the survival of pathogenic microorganisms in fish products, are also summarized in this chapter. This information is expected to bring new insights into the development of new intervention tactics to assure the quality and safety of roe products.