The lucky ones who received them in a festive food set were openly envied, and sometimes they were even offered an exchange for champagne or tangerines, which were then scarce at that time.
Today, when on the shelves of supermarkets, there are even rows of cans and bottles with this not very popular product, it is difficult to imagine such a thing. But since the "goldfish" is a tasty and nostalgically attractive product, we bought 8 varieties of sprats from different manufacturers in the chain stores of Riga in order to assess their taste and quality, as well as to learn the whole truth about smoked sprat in oil filling.
Riga sprats in oil Jūras karaliste Aquatica (125 g / 88 g; price € 1.19, or € 9.52 / kg)
Manufacturer: not specifically listed; the product is manufactured in Latvia by special order of SIA GATE MS.
Note: sterilized canned fish without GMF.
SIA GATE MS distributor (15 Atlantijas str., Riga, Latvia).
Ingredients: smoked sprat FAO 27 III.d. (Sprattus sprattus balticus), rapeseed oil, edible salt.
Caloric content: in 100 g 415 kcal.
The nutritional value:
fats - 40 g (including saturated fatty acids (EFA) 5.9 g),
carbohydrates - 0 g,
proteins - 12.0 g,
salt - 1.0 g
In appearance: when the jar was opened, there was so much quite dark oil that it filled the entire lid and, accordingly, the hands. The fish are strong, beautiful, appetizing, with a good elastic consistency.
About the taste: there is a lot of oil and it is bitter, and the fish are over-smoked, the overall taste is bitter with the same unpleasant aftertaste. Only appearance product and a fairly high price correspond to the name "sprats". But the majority did not like this fish.
Conclusion: This is the highest fat content of all the samples presented, it is the most high-calorie food with an average amount of salt.
Sprats in low salt oil Riga Gold (100 g; price € 1.19, or € 11.90 / kg)
Note: a source of omega-3. Fish weight 70 g. Natural smoking. Fish (Sprattus sprattus) caught in the Baltic Sea (FAO 27 IIId).
Ingredients: smoked sprat (Sprattus sprattus) 70%, refined rapeseed oil 29.2%, edible salt.
The nutritional value:
carbohydrates - 0 g,
proteins - 17.0 g,
salt - 0.8 g
In appearance: the fish are golden, beautiful, one to one, elastic, good, of the correct consistency.
About taste: natural fishy, but the characteristic taste of sprat is absent, the fish is fresh, with a slight sweetish aftertaste. Nothing memorable and what is called delicious. A one-off product, although it is the most expensive of all samples.
Conclusion: The manufacturer indicated that these sprats are "low in salt" and this information could bribe the buyer. Yes, this sample has less salt than others. But in the context of a healthy diet, the amount of salt of 0.8 g per 100 g of product cannot be called reduced. It's average.
Large sprats in oil (190 g / 133 g; price € 1.32, or € 6.95 / kg)
Note: sterilized canned fish. Fish not less than 133 g.
Ingredients: smoked herring (Clupea harengus membras) 68%, rapeseed oil 31%, edible salt 1%.
Caloric content: in 100 g there are 271 kcal.
The nutritional value:
fats - 23.0 g (including EFA 3.4 g),
carbohydrates - 0 g,
proteins - 16.0 g,
salt 1.4 g
In appearance: a beautiful fish, dark bronze in color rather than gold. The consistency looks good, but in the mouth it immediately spreads, turning into a fish smear.
About the taste: the taste is balanced, not over-smoked, with a slight bitterness, everything is enough, but it looks a little like sprats. The fish would be delicious if it were not so “cottony”. It's a shame - a spoiled product that disappointed many.
Bottom Line: Least Fat of All Samples, and Least Calorie Food. However, the salt content is high.
Sprats in oil "Riga Gold" (190 g / 133 g; price € 1.32, or € 6.95 / kg)
Manufacturer: SIA Gamma-A (Audupes St., 15/17, Riga, Latvia).
Note: fish not less than 133 g.
Ingredients: smoked herring or sprat 75%, vegetable oil 24%, salt.
Caloric content: in 100 g 356 kcal.
The nutritional value:
fats - 32.0 g (including EFA 4.0 g),
proteins - 17.0 g,
salt - quantity not specified.
In appearance: it looks good in a jar, the consistency is good, the color is very pale, it seems that the fish has not been finished.
On the taste: mild, more just fishy, without a sign that these are sprats, with an unpleasant aftertaste. It spreads in the mouth, it is so soft. Apparently, first it was frozen, then thawed and cooked. Not the best buy.
Conclusion: the disadvantage of this product is that the amount of salt, the indicator of which is one of the most important for the buyer, is not indicated. It may also be inconsistent with product labeling requirements. It is not indicated what kind of vegetable oil this product contains.
Large sprats in Amberfish oil (240 g / 168 g; price 1.79 €, or 7.46 € / kg)
Producer: SIA Piejura (Avoti farm, Nitskaya parish, Latvia).
Note: fish not less than 168 g. Tale "Golden sprats". Manufactured according to PUS 2: 2006 standard.
Ingredients: smoked sprat (Sprattus sprattus), caught in the Baltic Sea, at least 70%, rapeseed oil, salt.
Caloric content: in 100 g 356 kcal.
The nutritional value:
fats - 32.0 g (including EFA 18.1 g),
carbohydrates - 0 g,
proteins - 17.0 g,
salt - 1.0 g
In appearance: not sprats and not even a sprat - over-smoked dark herring in very dark oil. In appearance, the fish is elastic, but when dividing into pieces (since there are not many fish), it crumbled. The fish are large, they cannot be eaten whole, and when they are cut, they cannot be served on the table. Is that suitable for a salad.
About taste: bitter, not sprat, with a bitter aftertaste. For a rare amateur. Most did not like the product. We can say that for such a quality, the price of the product is too high.
Conclusion: since the amount of protein, energy value, total amount of fat and salt in this product are identical to the same indicators of other samples, it is difficult to isolate it somehow from the total amount. However, there is a very high level of saturated fatty acids. Apparently, EFAs of both fish and oils were counted. But in 100 g of smoked Baltic herring there are about 1.8 g of saturated fatty acids, in rapeseed oil there are 7% of them (or 7 g in 100 g). And then it is not clear what kind of oil the manufacturer added, if it accounts for the remaining 16.3 g of NLC. Or there was a mistake in the labeling of the sample.
Sprats in oil Rigas Zelts (in glass jar, 270 g / 189 g; price € 2.52, or € 9.33 / kg)
Manufacturer: SIA Gamma-A (Traleru str. 30, Riga, Latvia).
Note: The fish (Sprattus sprattus) was caught in the Baltic Sea (FAO zona 27 IIId).
Ingredients: smoked sprat 70%, refined rapeseed oil 28.8%, salt.
Caloric content: in 100 g 356 kcal.
The nutritional value:
fats - 32.0 g (including EFA 4.0 g),
carbohydrates - 0 g,
proteins - 17.0 g,
salt - 1.2 g
By sight: very attractive and appetizing goldfish: in a glass jar you can immediately see what you are taking. But taking them out is problematic - they are soft and when they are hooked up with a fork, they immediately disperse. Looks under-smoked without oil.
About the taste: the fish tastes good, but the oil has an unpleasant aftertaste of fish oil and too much salt. It is a pity that the view and considerable price do not correspond to the content. These sprats are "none".
Conclusion: this product is difficult to isolate - the amount of protein, energy value, amount of fat and salt are the same as in other samples.
Royal sprats in gourmet oil (240 g / 168 g; price € 2.13, or € 8.87 / kg)
Manufacturer: AS Brīvais vilnis (1 Ostas street, Salacgriva parish, Salacgriva, Latvia).
Ingredients: smoked sprat (Sprattus sprattus) not less than 70% (FAO 27 IIId), rapeseed oil (29%), edible salt, mustard seed extract.
Caloric content: in 100 g 356 kcal.
The nutritional value:
carbohydrates - 0 g,
proteins - 17.0 g,
salt 2.0 g
In appearance: very aesthetic, elastic and beautiful, real "golden", even slightly pinkish fish, all of the same size, without tails. They are the most attractive and mouth-watering of all samples. I want to try them right away.
About taste: natural, moderately smoked taste, with a spicy spice and a pleasant aftertaste. Here, in a measure of salt, oil does not interrupt the taste of fish, does not taste bitter. How delicious it is! Real sprats!
Conclusion: this product is the record holder for salt content! With a jar of these sprats, you can get the daily rate of its consumption. All other food with salt will work for excess.
Sprats in oil (with a transparent lid) 240 g / 168 g; price € 2.19, or € 9.12 / kg
Manufacturer: SIA Līcis 93 (Kolka village, Kolka parish, Dundaga region, Latvia)
Note: new.
Ingredients: smoked sprat, refined vegetable oil, table salt.
Caloric content: in 100 g 356 kcal.
The nutritional value:
fats - 32.0 g (including EFA 6.0 g),
proteins - 17.0 g,
salt - quantity not specified.
In appearance: the fish are pale, their consistency looks good, but they are soft, spreading on the fork and in the mouth.
About the taste: spicy, good taste with slightly noticeable sourness and, alas, with a bitter aftertaste. For many, sprats turned out to be salty. Edible, but not the best product, bears little resemblance to the classic sprats.
Conclusion: the amount of salt is not specified, which may not meet the requirements of product labeling. It is not specifically indicated which oil was used for the filling. Other nutritional parameters are similar to other samples.
Editor's Choice:
1st place
Royal sprats in delicious oil (AS BrIvais vilnis, 1 Ostas St., Salacgriva parish, Salacgriva, Latvia)
And by a huge margin
3rd place
* Large sprats in oil (AS Brīvais vilnis (Ostas street, Salacgriva parish, Salacgriva, Latvia)
* Sprats in oil Rigas Zelts (in a glass jar, 270 g), SIA Gamma-A, st. Traleru 30, Riga, Latvia)
Choosing a specialist
It's quite difficult for me to make the top 3, since all sprats are high in calories, fat and salt, and possibly also contain carcinogens. Therefore, I will leave the 1st and 2nd places empty.
I will give 3rd place to large sprats in AS BrIvais vilnis oil, as they contain the least amount of fat and the least amount of calories.
General conclusion
As we can see, the picture as a whole is gloomy, since even the cheapest sprats are still an expensive product.
The price of canned food, of course, is formed by many indicators: the place and conditions of fishing, storage and processing, the type and cost of oil, the cost of all spent resources and transportation, the discharge of the distribution network, etc.
But it doesn't make it easier for us, consumers, because, as it turned out, even the highest price for a jar of canned sprat, which Latvia was once so proud of, today, alas, is not a measure of their quality. And the most expensive ones can be a disappointment even for amateurs, not to mention those who try unsuccessful sprats for the first time. The second time you will hardly want to spend money on their purchase.
Despite the unpredictability of the grocery "lottery" (after all, it is not known whether you will be lucky or not), what should you pay Special attention when buying sprat? The content of salt and fats, including saturated fatty acids, and what kind of fish (sprats, herring or other types of it) and in what oil the manufacturer offers to the buyer. And, of course, look at the price. In our case, it turned out that the quality of the cheapest sprats is really low. And sprats on average price(2.13 € for 240 g) the tastiest, although they contain the highest amount of salt. But with their infrequent use, connoisseurs of the "goldfish" will be able to get a real gastronomic pleasure.
Expert opinion
Svetlana Alekseeva, a certified nutritionist, answers the questions "TODAY Week".
- How are sprats useful for us?
- Sprats are a fatty type of fish, and it is known to be a source of omega-3 fatty acids for us. Besides, given view canning allows you to preserve heat-resistant fat-soluble vitamins A, E and D in fish.However, in your diet it is better to focus not on smoked fish in oil, but on fish that was, for example, baked in foil in the oven.
- Is it possible to replace meat, ordinary fish with sprats in cold weather?
- Initially, these canned fish were made only from Baltic sprat, then under this name they also began to produce sprat, herring, small herring, and other small fish. But, despite the high calorie content of sprat, they still cannot serve as a substitute for ordinary fish or meat.
- How can sprats be harmful? How often can you consume these canned fish?
- Smoked fish can be classified as potentially harmful food due to the possible content of carcinogenic compounds in it - polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), mainly benzopyrenes, which tend to accumulate in the human body and provoke the development of cancer. But the presence and quantity of these compounds in sprats can only be judged after laboratory research... The permissible content of benzopyrene in sprats is strictly defined by standards and is 5? G (or μg, i.e. micrograms, this is a millionth of a gram) per 1 kg, while for smoked meat and meat products, smoked fish and fish products, the norm is much stricter : only 2? g per 1 kg.
If you still cannot completely abandon the use of sprat, then their consumption should be limited, leaving them in the diet, for example, on the New Year's or other festive table.
- How would you advise lovers of sprat to use them in order to minimize possible negative effects on the body?
- For this, I recommend using sprats, separating their skin, since it has the highest concentration of carcinogenic substances. Together with sprats, it is best and definitely worth eating foods that contain a lot of fiber, for example, whole grain bread, vegetables. Fiber reduces the effects of toxic substances.
- Under what health conditions is the use of sprat undesirable or contraindicated?
- It is important to understand that carcinogenic substances do not have a threshold of action as such, therefore the risk from their negative impact exists in any case - for healthy people, and especially for people with various health problems.
Due to the smoking factor, the content of a large amount of fat and salt, sprats are contraindicated in people with high levels of total cholesterol, high blood pressure, gout, and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas.
Attention!
An independent examination is carried out at the expense of the editorial board and in the interests of our readers. Tasting of products is carried out “blindly” by members of the editorial board and an invited expert.
Our expert Svetlana ALEKSEEVA,
certified specialist
on nutrition.
MOSCOW, January 19 - RIA Novosti, Vladimir Veretennikov. During the Soviet era, Baltic goods were famous throughout the country. Sprats, Riga balsam, Laima chocolates, Dzintars cosmetics, VEF radios were very much appreciated by unassuming Soviet citizens. RIA Novosti figured out how things are now with the once famous trademarks.
Smoked fish
Sprats are almost the main export commodity of the Baltic republics even today. According to the classical technology, sprat or herring is smoked on alder sawdust. Gourmets complain that nowadays the taste of Riga sprats is not the same. This is due to the directives of the European Union: in Brussels, it was considered that the original sprats were overly smoked.
European experts have revealed an increased content of dioxin and benzopyrene in Latvian sprats. But compliance with EU standards did not allow preserving the peculiarities of color, taste and smell of the product. There was talk of banning it.
Fortunately, Europe still took pity on the sprat producers. In 2010, at a meeting of an expert group in Brussels, it was decided not to extend the requirements for the level of benzopyrene in smoked fish to this product. In 2014, the EU structures once again confirmed that the Balts can continue to smoke fish using traditional methods. They ordered only a little change in the recipe.
Moscow banned the import of sprat back in 2006. The norms introduced by Russia then turned out to be five times stricter than European ones. The ban was in effect for two years. The Russian authorities then approved European regulations for benzopyrene in canned fish.
When the sanctions war broke out in 2014, sprats and other canned fish were not embargoed. For the Balts, this relaxation was an important source of income.
But in 2015, Moscow still banned the import of fish products from Latvia and Estonia, citing "systemic violations" at manufacturing enterprises. In the Baltic states, this was regarded as a political decision caused by the continuing deterioration of relations with the eastern neighbor. Latvian sprat enterprises have suffered great losses and are now trying to find sales markets in other countries - in particular, they are attracted by the large and populous China. However, in mid-December 2017, the Rosselkhoznadzor lifted the ban on the supply of sprat to Russia from two enterprises in Latvia and Estonia.
Like a balm to the soul
Popular in Soviet time Latvian chocolate sweets Laima are still being produced. True, in the summer of 2018, the factory moved production to Estonia due to a lack of labor. Handymen, technologists and engineers are in short supply. So now this brand is not quite Latvian.
But Riga balsam, now Latvijas Balzams, is made at the same capital distillery. The drink has been known since the middle of the 18th century, it was prepared by the pharmacist Abraham Kunze according to an old recipe, which was restored in 1954. Since then, characteristic shaped black bottles have been the pride of Soviet home bars in Romanian sideboards. Lovers of nostalgia can be calm: Riga balsam is on sale and looks exactly the same.
Instead of a factory - a shopping center
The Latvian cosmetics manufacturer Dzintars has accumulated large tax debts. The company's chairman of the board, Ilya Gerchikov, complained that the representatives of the state were "simply cornered by penalties." Therefore, Dzintars applied to the court for legal protection. Gerchikov also accused the state-owned company "Latvian Gas" of deliberately overstating its debt claims and attempting to carry out a raider seizure of the enterprise. Nevertheless, the firm continues to operate.
Latvia was once famous for its RAF minibuses - "rafiks" produced at the Riga Automobile Factory. The fate of this enterprise is sad. After the collapse of the USSR, hundreds of related factories and suppliers ended up in other states. Production volumes fell steadily and the factory closed in 1997. Ironically, the last RAF model was the hearse.
Throughout the Soviet Union, the products of the Riga Electrotechnical Factory named after and the Order of Lenin were well known. VEF radios were cult. It was through them that "enemy voices" were listened to: Radio Liberty, "Deutsche Welle", "Voice of America", getting acquainted with the hits of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, excerpts from forbidden novels.
VEF, like the Riga Automobile Factory, did not survive the 1990s. Allegedly, the products were outdated and uncompetitive. Instead of a factory, a huge shopping center was opened.
In a huge workshop, women in blue caps string small fish on iron rods, as if they were about to fry a kebab from a sprat. They do this trick a thousand times per shift, five thousand per week, and their life count goes into the millions. Residents of the small Latvian town of Salacgriva have been working at a fish processing plant in dynasties, from a young age to retirement. Their hands reeked of fish, like the hold of a fishing trawler, and their trained eyes were as sharp as those of an albatross. Salacgriva is tickled by the cold Baltic Sea, the prickly sea wind blows, keeps the market in good shape. But women have jobs - and that's the main thing. A bit of sea, soot and hard work in a report from the exemplary Latvian sprat production.
In Salacgriva, the off-season is in mid-June, just at the time of our arrival, the company is finalizing its last days. Brīvais Vilnis is about to close for the big summer holidays. The last shipments of fish are on the line. Controller technological process Henry Babris leads us to the pier. The sea had just played with the sun, and now it has started to rain. It is unstable in the Baltic - sometimes it gets very stormy.
We are at the starting point of the great canning route. They do not fish independently at the enterprise, they buy it from private traders. Fresh sprat and herring are supplied by small fishing companies - the fish live in local waters. Herring, mackerel, sardinella and other "Atlantic" are obtained in containers frozen from abroad.
Classic sprats are made from sprats, ”says Henry Babris immediately. - But you can also make from a small herring. To taste, however, they can be distinguished without problems. The taste of sprat from winter and summer sprat, fresh and frozen sprat differs. The best ones are winter ones, from fresh catch.
At the "entrance" all raw materials are checked, samples are taken for the laboratory. If the fish is fresh, part goes to the shop for the sorting line, and part is frozen at a temperature of minus 18 degrees. So it can be stored for up to 9 months.
The sprat is thawed in the defrosting chambers - the temperature rises to plus 10 degrees.
The next stage - and one of the most important - is sorting. Almost ideal fish are selected for sprats. Whole, not crumpled, without damage. Suitable carcasses are 11-13 centimeters in size.
Our guide makes a small digression. What is it all about - Riga sprats? In the mid-1990s, an association of the same name was created in Latvia, which united the largest fish processing enterprises in the country. The Association is the holder of the collective trademark "Riga Sprats in Oil" and controls the quality of the products.
All products of the enterprises belonging to the association bear the quality mark. The requirements for it are extremely stringent. That is why sorting is carried out exclusively by hand - so as not to damage the fish. There have been attempts to automate the process. But the efficiency of female hands turned out to be higher than that of a mechanical "robot".
The workers do not have time to look around and pose for the photographer. There is a fish in a pan in front of them. Lots of fish. The master gives the command: "String the little one!" And they string, putting the large one in a separate box, since they smoke sprat at the same time different sizes it is forbidden. Soon the master will shout: "We string a large one!" And so on throughout the shift.
This is not an easy process. We are told that the worker can get up and rest at any time. Each is given a certain number of trays. Fill in everything - you will receive a token. The more tokens per day, the higher the salary. Someone who gives a lot of marriage can be deprived of bonuses. Only the most experienced work on sorting raw materials for the elite products of the plant - "Tsarskiye Sprat".
Report from the best Latvian plant for the production of sprat sprats, latvia, enterprise
The skewered fish is already ready for smoking. Not really, though. Workers leave it for a while to allow the glass to moisture. The sprat needs to be moved apart so that the fish do not stick together. If smoked, this can lead to marriage.
Preparing a mixture for smoking - we will have smoke from alder.
The fish moves through the tunnels, where it goes through various stages of smoking - about 15 steps. Smoke is prepared here, steam is supplied there. The smoker regulates the flow of the mixture and the temperature in each zone. Monitors the degree of moisture. The employees are all experienced, mostly men. The quality of the product that the customer buys in the store largely depends on their skills.
Before us is an almost ready-made semi-finished product - smoked sprat of a characteristic golden color. Then the heads will be cut off to the fish, and the carcasses will be sent for cooling. The heads will be sold as recyclable materials.
Styling. Already during smoking, the master will determine which raw materials will be used for Riga sprats, and which for simple ones. Or, for example, for pate. Or maybe for a sprat in a tomato.
Each worker has a scale on the stacker. They try to arrange the sprats beautifully, curly. To make it look aesthetically pleasing and presentable. Henry says:
- Having opened the can, you can determine whether the manufacturer has cheated or not. If the fish is stacked belly up, this is a good sign. After all, if the raw materials are of poor quality or they have not been smoked well, then they usually put their backs up. The bellies are opened first, the "hack" needs to hide it. It is also important whether there is damage in the first row. They shouldn't be there by our standards.
And here the work is standardized - by the number of cans.
“We have people who work as families,” the interlocutor continues. - There are practically no places in the vicinity where middle-aged women can get a job. But even in such a situation, it is impossible to recruit another shift of workers. However, we do not need volume, but quality.
Directly some kind of spell! In general, it seems to us that this is transcendental idealism - to put fish in a jar at a price of € 1, as if it were not golden, but golden. Moreover, under the tin lid all the efforts of the workers from Salacgriva cannot be discerned by a potential buyer. The factory understood this a long time ago. It has become impossible to compete with manufacturers who throw crumpled semi-finished products into their banks and dump them, workers say:
And in Russia, and in Ukraine, and in Belarus they are trying to make from damaged fish. As a result, the customer's trust in the product disappears. We went the other way.
A few years ago, the know-how was introduced here - jars with a transparent lid. Now the buyer will see exactly what they want to sell him. No more jar secrets. For "honest" packaging, albeit more expensive, is considered here - the canned future.
Various variations of sprat in tomato. The tomato sauce is brewed at the enterprise itself, without using cheap powder substitutes. It turns out to be expensive. The cost of a high-quality thick sauce is almost the same as the cost of fish.
- There is no point in saving. An interesting thing: in Ukraine, our sprat in tomato is five times more expensive than the local one, but they buy it perfectly. It means that people are ready to pay for quality, - says Henry.
And we return to sprats. The cans are already rolled up. They are washed and then sent to autoclaves for sterilization.
- We do not add any preservatives or antioxidants: there is no need. The product is completely sterilized, the jars are sealed. Each type of canned food has its own sterilization formula. Thus, a 2-3 year shelf life is achieved.
Most of the equipment at the enterprise is still of Soviet production. It doesn't look very presentable, it doesn't smell like perfume. The equipment is regularly repaired and maintained in good condition. They bought something for European money. It's a strange thing: they look at modernization here a little differently than in Belarus. It turns out that the point is not in new lines for millions, which are so nice to get on the account. The essence, they explain to us, is in ideas and innovations - just like in the same transparent package.
No matter how hard they try in Kaliningrad, they cannot get the same high quality. Even on new ultra-modern equipment. Our smokers have decades of experience, and bosses from above do not shout: give us the cost, - this is Henry's opinion.
After sterilization, the cans are washed again, dried with steam and sent for pasting with a label. Everything, you can load it to the warehouse and send it to the counter on a case-by-case basis.
In fact, not much has changed in production technology since Soviet times, says the controller. - Unless only then they looked not where you can save, but where to steal. Now all employees of the enterprise understand perfectly well: we will survive only through high-quality work. Let us concede to competitors - we will bend. Nobody will help us.
Arnold Babris, Chairman of the Board of Brīvais Vilnis, explains how the company manages to stay afloat.
- It was a difficult period. The banker gave money - start-up capital. We talked with the team, chose a niche - to provide the highest quality on the market. And they started to work. We optimized what we could to the maximum. In 2004, everyone was chasing the price, and we decided to take the topic of exclusive, expensive segment. They began to produce "Tsar's sprats". The first ones started working with plastic. The tear-off lid is also our invention. And there are many such innovations.
In 2006, either from sea foam, or from a secret Baltic depression, a water one appeared. His name was Onishchenko, and he loved to find what is hidden in things. In the Latvian sprats, the main supervisor of the Russian Federation found benzapyrene - and the supply of products to Russian market banned.
Here in this very office, Arnold Babris shows us, he put Onishchenko in his place.
Immediately after the accusations were voiced, I ordered products from Russian manufacturers and sent them to Germany for control. There was a terrible picture. I called the TV crew, I show them: here, look, where is this same benzopyrene. Show Onishchenko to know. For several years, supplies to the Russian Federation have ceased. But the plant was built according to such a model that at any moment we can “close” any country without loss by moving to another market. A contract has now been signed with China - a minimum monthly batch of at least € 250,000. And we will not be lost without Russia.
Traditional weekly tasting: managers and employees evaluate the quality of the products produced. In addition to sprat, there are several dozen types of various canned food.
And what about Belarus? At one time, Brivais Vilnis supplied about 12% of the total production volume to the Republic of Belarus. After the collapse of 2011, the numbers were not so pleasant.
- I must be sure that in exchange for the product I will receive money without delay. It's simple. The profitability level for canned food is 5% of the turnover. Only! We cannot afford to take risks, says Arnold Babris.
Having worked hard, Salacgriva is resting. The fish factory is a city-forming enterprise. It employs 450 people. The plant will lie down - the town will immediately bend. And he doesn’t fatten anyway. Due to the abundance of manual labor, a third of the cost tin can- workers' salaries. A good handler earns an average of € 300. And this is the largest salary in the industry. People want more. But for now, this is the ceiling. Nobody said that the market is easy.
Here, of course, there is important detail... Whatever storm happens, a niche plant is unlikely to lose ground. Here they learned to live within their means and count every penny. Without any government replenishment - at least somehow, but they will live
Before the Russian market closed for Latvian fish processors, there were 21 companies in the industry. IN this moment there are only six major manufacturers left - those who were able to reorient themselves to European markets and change products in accordance with their requests. Karavela has started offering new products with high added value - from local raw materials, LTV reports.
Karavela annually produces about 55 million cans of canned food, most of the raw materials are supplied by fishermen from Liepaja and Ventspils.
“Latvia is a unique country where cheap industrial raw materials such as sprat or herring, which in other European countries are used as raw material for livestock feed, were able to give a high added value, and from fish at 20 eurocents per kg to make a product worth 8-10 Euro. Raw materials in the Baltic Sea have been and will continue to be enough, ”says Andris Bite, member of the board of Karavela.
The company's products are sold to 40 countries, mainly Europe, but fish made in Latvia are also bought in Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.
The manufacturer does not offer sprats, but products that meet the taste of each nation - the raw materials, however, are the same.
“Different names, different characteristics of taste, methods of preparation - in which country you like what,” Bite said.
Each market has its own packaging. Europeans like transparent packaging to show what's inside. Small and handy jars have the advantage. Sprats with colored lids are closer to the Japanese.
“We learned a lot over time, visited exhibitions and realized that the same sprats could be called differently. And sardines, and somehow otherwise, the product does not change from this. But for a buyer in a particular country, it becomes more acceptable and understandable. And we stated 5-6 years ago that the possibilities of geography and sales are much wider than we once thought, "admitted Bite.
Analysts believe that fish processing has great prospects, it is only necessary to follow the time and monitor the quality. The number of enterprises has decreased, but they have become stronger - and capable of entering world markets with their product.
Many people remember the taste of the famous Riga Sprat since Soviet times!
This product, still prepared in a traditional way, is the brand of Latvia! And this is true! Who doesn't know Latvian sprats! Even if you haven't tried it yourself, you probably heard it. But you should definitely try it!
To this day, Riga sprats are considered one of the highest quality and most delicious. We checked personally, this is true. If you are in Latvia, be sure to try Latvian sprats, or even buy a couple of jars home. By the way, for those who do not know what to bring to relatives and friends from Latvia, Riga sprats will be an excellent souvenir gift. You can also bring the famous Riga balsam, but, to be honest, it tastes like a bitter cough mixture. We will tell you more about Riga balsams in one of the following articles,.
Sprats in Riga, and in general in Latvia, are sold on every corner, they are littered with counters of souvenir shops, small shops, supermarkets and markets. There are no sprats there, jars of various sizes, colors and shapes, iron and glass, weighing from 100 grams to half a kilogram.
There are a lot of different sprats not only in Riga, but throughout Latvia, so you can buy them in any Latvian town.
What is the difference between Latvian sprats and ours?
Our sprats are simply impossible to eat, the bitter taste of butter, hard fish ... In any case, I can't eat them, but in Riga I ate half a can at a time. They are soft golden in color, large, all one to one, laid evenly, the eye is already happy, the heads and tail of each fish are neatly cut off. And the taste, the taste is simply amazing! They are so tender that they melt in the mouth, the taste of oil is not felt at all, there is no bitterness or other extraneous tastes and smells, moderately salty, moderately smoked. In general, everything in these sprats is in moderation. As they say, the tunic in the tunic, the very thing.
In the photo there are inexpensive sprats, it's a pity the tsars did not photograph, they ate everything)) They are even larger and golden
By the way, sprats are a kind canned fish for which small fish are used: sprat, Baltic sprat, Baltic herring, young herring and other marine fines. Currently, the herring or Baltic sprat is mainly used for the production of sprat. When preparing sprat, small fish are smoked without any preliminary treatment, after which they are preserved in oil and packaged in cans.
How to choose and where to buy Latvian sprats?
It is very simple to choose sprats in Riga, by typing. They are all delicious and almost the same there. There is a slight difference in taste, though. We bought various sprats, the most delicious, largest and most beautiful were the Tsarskie Sprats.
You can buy sprats in Latvia in any souvenir shop in any city, in any shop or market. However, to save time and money, immediately go to a large supermarket, for example RIMI, where sprats will be sold exactly the same, but at a lower price than in the souvenir shops of the city. The difference sometimes reaches several euros per can.
Why RIMI? Not why! The difference is which supermarket to go to - not at all, go to the one that is closer to you. We lived in the center of old Riga and there, right in the center, is one of the supermarkets of the Rimi chain.
There are also a lot of sprats in the central market of Riga. Prices are almost the same as in supermarkets. But we did not find the Tsar's sprats on the market, so we bought them in grocery stores.
Prices for sprats in Riga shops
Prices for a jar of sprat vary, starting from 1 euro and going up to 10.
A small and cheapest jar of sprat can be bought for a little more than a euro, the royal ones cost somewhere around 2.13 €, and a half-kilogram gift jar is 6-10 EUR. All prices are from the supermarket. Also in supermarkets there are often promotions, so you can find sprats at a better price.
P.S. When you are in Latvia, be sure to try the famous and delicious Latvian sprats!
