The white truffle (Tuber magnatum), commonly known as the Alba truffle, is a highly prized and sought-after species of truffle that grows underground in the roots of certain trees, primarily oak, hazel, and poplar. Native to the Piedmont region of Italy, this truffle is renowned for its intense, earthy aroma and distinctive flavor. It is a luxury ingredient in gourmet cuisine and is valued for its rarity and high market price.
Botanical Classification
- Kingdom: Fungi
- Division: Ascomycota
- Class: Pezizomycetes
- Order: Tuberales
- Family: Tuberaceae
- Genus: Tuber
- Species: T. magnatum
Plant Characteristics
Tuber magnatum is a subterranean fungus that forms a symbiotic relationship with the roots of specific trees. The truffle has a round or irregular shape with a smooth, pale to creamy white surface. Inside, it has a marbled appearance with a pale beige to white color. It has a strong, complex aroma, often described as earthy, musky, and slightly garlicky. The truffles are typically harvested in the autumn months.
Chemical Composition and Structure
The white truffle contains several key compounds contributing to its aroma and flavor:
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Includes various aldehydes, ketones, and sulfur compounds that produce its characteristic scent.
- Terpenes: Such as β-caryophyllene and limonene, which contribute to its complex fragrance.
- Amino Acids: Including glutamic acid, which enhances umami flavor.
- Lipids: Present in the truffle, contributing to its rich texture and flavor.
Cultivation
Tuber magnatum is not cultivated in the traditional sense but rather harvested from the wild, where it forms mycorrhizal relationships with the roots of host trees. Successful truffle cultivation requires specific soil conditions, including well-drained, calcareous soils and a suitable climate with cold winters and warm, dry summers. Trained dogs or pigs are used to locate mature truffles underground.
Uses and Benefits
Culinary: The primary use of Tuber magnatum is in high-end gastronomy. It is shaved or grated over dishes to impart its unique flavor and aroma. It is used in a variety of dishes, including pasta, risotto, and meat preparations.
Aromatic: Its strong, distinctive aroma is used in the production of gourmet food products and truffle-infused oils.
Applications
Tuber Magnatum Oil Extract
Skin conditioning agent - Humectant. Humectants are hygroscopic substances used to minimise water loss in the skin and to prevent it from drying out by facilitating faster and greater absorption of water into the stratum corneum of the epidermis. The epidermis is the most superficial of the three layers that make up the human skin (epidermis, dermis and hypodermis) and is the layer that maintains hydration in all three layers. In turn, the epidermis is composed of five layers: corneum, the most superficial, lucidum, granulosum, spinosum and basale. Humectants have the ability to retain in the stratum corneum the water they attract from the air and have the function of moisturising the skin. It is better to use them before emollients that are oil-based.
Tuber Magnatum Extract
Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment as it has the function of restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants that can be added in the formulation.
Environmental and Safety Considerations
Tuber magnatum is generally safe for consumption. However, due to its high value and rarity, it is subject to regulations and standards to prevent fraud and ensure quality. Sustainable harvesting practices are essential to protect natural truffle habitats and maintain ecological balance.
References__________________________________________________________________________
Vita F, Taiti C, Pompeiano A, Bazihizina N, Lucarotti V, Mancuso S, Alpi A. Volatile organic compounds in truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico): comparison of samples from different regions of Italy and from different seasons. Sci Rep. 2015 Jul 30;5:12629. doi: 10.1038/srep12629. PMID: 26224388; PMCID: PMC4519792.
Abstract. In this paper volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from Tuber magnatum fruiting bodies were analyzed using a PTR-TOF-MS instrument. The aim was to characterize the VOC's profile of the fruiting bodies and identify if any VOCs were specific to a season and geographical areas. Multiple factorial analysis (MFA) was carried out on the signals obtained by MS. Experiments using ITS region sequencing proved that the T. magnatum life cycle includes the formation of fruiting bodies at two different times of the year. The VOCs profiles diverge when different seasonal and geographical productions are considered. Using PTR-TOF-MS, compounds present at levels as low pptv were detected. This made it possible to determine both the origin of fruiting bodies (Alba and San Miniato) and the two biological phases of fruiting bodies formation in San Miniato truffles.
Vita F, Lucarotti V, Alpi E, Balestrini R, Mello A, Bachi A, Alessio M, Alpi A. Proteins from Tuber magnatum Pico fruiting bodies naturally grown in different areas of Italy. Proteome Sci. 2013 Feb 1;11(1):7. doi: 10.1186/1477-5956-11-7.
Abstract. Background: A number of Tuber species are ecologically important. The fruiting bodies of some of these also have value as a cooking ingredient due to the fact that they possess exceptional flavor and aromatic properties. In particular, T. magnatum fruiting bodies (commonly known as truffles), are greatly appreciated by consumers. These grow naturally in some parts of Italy. However, the quality of these fruiting bodies varies significantly depending on the area of origin due to differences in environmental growth conditions. It is therefore useful to be able to characterize them. A suitable method to reach this goal is to identify proteins which occur in the fruiting bodies that are specific to each area of origin. In this work protein profiles are described for samples coming from different areas and collected in two successive years. To our knowledge this is the first time that proteins of T. magnatum have been thoroughly examined. Results: Using two dimensional electrophoresis, reproducible quantitative differences in the protein patterns (total 600 spots) of samples from different parts of Italy (accession areas) were revealed by bioinformatic analysis. 60 spots were chosen for further analysis, out of which 17 could probably be used to distinguish a sample grown in one area from a sample grown in another area. Mass spectrometry (MS) protein analysis of these seventeen spots allowed the identification of 17 proteins of T. magnatum. Conclusions: The results indicate that proteomic analysis is a suitable method for characterizing those differences occurring in samples and induced by the different environmental conditions present in the various Italian areas where T. magnatum can grow. The positive protein identification by MS analysis has proved that this method can be applied with success even in a species whose genome, at the moment, has not been sequenced.
Beara IN, Lesjak MM, Cetojević-Simin DD, Marjanović ZS, Ristić JD, Mrkonjić ZO, Mimica-Dukić NM. Phenolic profile, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities of black (Tuber aestivum Vittad.) and white (Tuber magnatum Pico) truffles. Food Chem. 2014 Dec 15;165:460-6. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.05.116. Epub 2014 Jun 2. PMID: 25038699.
Bach C, Beacco P, Cammaletti P, Babel-Chen Z, Levesque E, Todesco F, Cotton C, Robin B, Murat C. First production of Italian white truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico) ascocarps in an orchard outside its natural range distribution in France. Mycorrhiza. 2021 May;31(3):383-388. doi: 10.1007/s00572-020-01013-2.
Abstract. Truffles are ectomycorrhizal species forming edible ascocarps. The Italian white truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico) is the most famous and expensive species harvested to date; it comes exclusively from natural habitats in European countries. The annual production of T. magnatum is generally insufficient to respond to the high demands making its cultivation a research hotspot. The first attempt to cultivate T. magnatum started in the 1970s without success; only recently have mycorrhized plants been successfully produced. The aims of this study were (1) to assess the persistence of T. magnatum in the soil of plantations realized with mycorrhized plants and (2) to characterize the first T. magnatum orchard that produced ascocarps outside the known natural geographic range of this species. In 2018, five orchards were sampled in France, and T. magnatum was investigated in the soil. We confirmed that T. magnatum survived in the soil 3 to 8 years after planting. The key finding of this study was the harvest of T. magnatum ascocarps in 2019 and 2020 from one orchard. The production of ascocarps started 4.5 years after planting, and the ascocarps were harvested under different trees and during two consecutive seasons. A detailed analysis of the productive orchards (i.e., soil features, soil water availability, cultivation techniques) is presented. These results demonstrate the feasibility of T. magnatum cultivation worldwide by planting mycorrhized plants. The cultivation of T. magnatum could therefore become a real opportunity for farmers and could respond to the high demand of this high-priced food.
White truffle 
