Disturbing Footage Showcasing The ‘Horrifying’ Process Of Harvesting Caviar Has Netizens Calling For A Ban
When it comes to food, we all have our limits—some things we’d rather not know, especially when it comes to what’s on our plate.
But sometimes, curiosity gets the best of us, and we end up seeing something that can’t be unseen. That’s exactly what happened when a video about caviar harvesting popped up online.
Now, let’s be honest: caviar has always been a bit of a mystery to most of us. Known as the ultimate delicacy, it’s a symbol of refined taste, reserved for those who don’t blink at dropping thousands on a small jar of fish eggs.
It’s also synonymous with a taste of the high life. A treat at a Michelin-star restaurant or an indulgence at a glamorous event.
But what happens when we dig a little deeper to understand what goes into producing these fancy foods? Well, in this case, the truth isn’t for the faint-hearted.
The viral video showing the caviar “milking” process has left vegetarians and meat-eaters alike feeling more than a little queasy. Imagine watching fish being probed and prodded for the sole purpose of scooping up their eggs in the most invasive way possible.
For many, it’s sparked a sudden realization: maybe some foods are best left off the menu, after all.
Luxury on a spoon, but at what cost? Watch how caviar really gets to your plate
The video, shared on Reddit by user u/jellylemonshake, showcases what’s called the “vivace” method. In the footage, a metal instrument rips open up a sturgeon’s underbelly and is held in place while eggs start flowing out into a waiting bucket.
Oh, and that’s not all. Another ‘milker’ applies continuous pressure along the torso of the fish to keep the flow going. The poor fish can do nothing else but helplessly wriggle—while probably praying to Poseidon for the horrifying ordeal to end.
And the price tag for this process? Beluga caviar can fetch up to $7,500 per kilogram, making it a delicacy only few can afford. However, after seeing how it’s harvested, many say they wouldn’t eat it even if it were free.
The vivace process is marketed as a humane, no-kill approach, but it still stirred up reactions, with viewers feeling anything but reassured. Many were quick to say the visual made them uncomfortable, calling it “sick” and questioning whether the process was necessary at all.
Caviar Star—a website specializing in luxury fish eggs—explains that there are two main harvesting methods. The traditional technique involves killing the fish, while the “no-kill” method, as seen in the video, involves slicing the fish open to extract the roe and then sending it back to the sea.
Fish milking may also involve hormone therapy to speed up egg production—which only added fuel to the ethical debate around caviar consumption.
Apologies in advance for what you’re about to see
The Reddit comments, as you can imagine, were colorful. One user joked, “‘And what do you do for a living?’ ‘I’m a fish w*nker.’” Another commented, “This makes me uncomfortable.”
One user even went philosophical, musing about how it might feel if aliens harvested from humans the way we do from other species.
The debate has many reconsidering their views on caviar. Some are calling for it to be banned altogether, deeming the process unnatural and inhumane. Would you still eat it, or do you agree with those calling for a change?
