The demand for real, sturgeon caviar is always greater than the supply. Female sturgeon only begin producing eggs after seven to 20 years, depending on the species. A beluga can take up to 20 years to reach maturity. A female fish only spawns once every several years. Caspian caviar is the most sought after, but trade in wild-produced caviar is heavily regulated by Cites—Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species—in order to protect the critically endangered species of sturgeon, making it extremely difficult to come by. When caviar is lightly salted it allows the naturally nutty flavors to shine through. This type of caviar, known as "malossol" is the best quality caviar but it is good for only a few weeks. Every package of caviar is the result of a detailed, manual harvesting process. Eggs are carefully extracted from the fish, washed, and prepared by hand to ensure the eggs retain their quality. The entire collection of up to two million eggs is analyzed and any bad eggs are discarded.