In the region that we live in, all kinds of food are available across all price ranges. You can grab a burger from a fast-food chain, dessert from a coffee shop, or treat yourself to a fancy dinner at an upscale restaurant. But have you ever stopped to wonder what the world’s most expensive food is? Food is an essential part of our lives and is about nourishment but for some, food is a status symbol. In the world of high-end cuisine, some dishes are worth more than gold. This could be because of its rarity, production expenses, or difficult preparation methods.

How much are people willing to pay for their favourite foods? Here are the top 3 most expensive foods across the world.

White Truffle

White truffle is an edible fungus that grows in a rare mushroom family. The flavour profile of it is described as strong and ‘musty’, easily overpowering most dishes with its sharp scent and taste. Today, a pound of white truffle costs USD 4,500 (roughly Dh 16, 524)! The global market for white truffle is estimated to cross USD 6 billion by 2034.

The reason why truffle is so expensive is because of how rare it is to acquire it. This high scarcity paired with the fact that it is extremely seasonal and difficult to cultivate is what leads to the high price tag. They don’t grow easily and each truffle must be hand-picked. White truffle flavouring is used as a condiment to season pasta, sprinkled over eggs or bread, or even to garnish rice or make truffle chips.

Beluga Caviar

Now we’ve all heard of caviar, but have you heard of the infinitely more precious Beluga caviar? Beluga caviar is the roe or eggs found in a rare fish called Huso huso, regional to the Caspian Sea. Beluga caviar cost anywhere between USD 4,000 to 10,000 for a kilogram. The reason it’s so expensive is because the Huso huso is a critically endangered species of fish. There are even some bans in place to stop the overfishing of this sturgeon. The fish is massive and difficult to rear, not to mention it takes nearly 25 years before it’s ready to lay the roe. This makes it one of the most difficult roe eggs to cultivate. But once it is ready, it is entirely worth the wait!

Beluga caviar is a delicacy that is sought after in the menus of most luxury restaurants. You can eat it raw, put it on crackers, pancakes, and crepes.

Kobe Beef

This one is for the meat lovers! Kobe beef is the most expensive beef in the world as it comes from a special breed of cattle in Japan called Wagyu. The breeding of Wagyu cattle is done exceptionally carefully with a lot of regulations and bloodline control, making Kobe one of the “purest” meat. It is extremely labour-intensive, and the production rate of this beef is very, very low. The Kobe beef is known for being very "marbled". Marbling refers to the white flecks of intramuscular far in red meat. The more flecks, the better the meat is considered as it has to do with the tenderness, quality, and moisture of the meat.

When cooked, Kobe meat is regarded as the most decadent meat, nearly “melting” in your mouth because of how soft and buttery it is. It is often described as having a “nutty” flavour that bursts at the seams with flavour.

So there it is, the top three most expensive food in the world. Which ones have made it to your bucket list?

Copyright © 2022 Khaleej Times. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).