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Tuber melanosporum, called the black truffle, Périgord truffle or French black truffle,There are several common names for the species in the popular literature. For example, the Field Guide to North American Truffles (Trappe, Evans & Trappe, 2007) refers to it as the "French black"; Taming the Truffle (Hall, Brown, Zambonelli, 2007) calls it the "black Périgord truffle" (but lists it under the scientific name in the index); The Book of Fungi (Roberts & Evans, 2011) calls it the "black truffle"; and the European field guide Mushrooms (Laessoe & Lincoff, 2002) calls it simply the "Perigord truffle." is a species of truffle native to Southern Europe. It is one of the most expensive edible fungi in the world. In 2013, the truffle cost between 1,000 and 2,000 euros per kilogram.
Their flesh is initially white, then dark. It is permeated by white veins, which turn brown with age. (1988). 9783405134778, BLV. ISBN 9783405134778 The spores are elliptical and measure about 22–55 μm by 20–35 μm. They are dark brown and covered with large spikes.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the fruiting bodies develop from April to June and are harvested from November to March.
Until 2010, all truffle species were thought to be homothallic, that is, capable of sexual reproduction from a single organism. Subsequent research indicated that black truffles are heterothallic; that is, sexual reproduction requires contact between the mycelium of different . If mycelia of different mating types surround a tree, eventually, one type becomes predominant.
The volatile compounds that contribute to the aroma and are developed by the fruiting bodies include 2-methyl-1-butanol, isoamyl alcohol, 2-methylbutyraldehyde, and 3-methylbutyraldehyde, as well as traces of sulfur compounds. One of these, dimethyl sulfide, is what attracts truffle dogs, and truffle flies to the fruiting bodies. Several species of yeast, which produce part of the aromatic compounds, have been isolated from Tuber melanosporum and Tuber magnatum.
Truffles contain the Endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and the major metabolic enzymes of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The AEA content increases in the late stages of truffles' development. AEA and ECS metabolic enzymes may have evolved earlier than endocannabinoid-binding receptors, and AEA might be an ancient attractant to truffle-eating animals, which are well-equipped with endocannabinoid-binding receptors.
Black truffles suppress the growth of plants around their symbiont, creating the impression of a burnt ( brûlé) area around it. They do so by parasite the roots of other plants, which may lead to necrosis of the root bark and the death of the parasitized plant. Moreover, part of the scent emitted by the truffles may limit the growth of other plants through oxidative stress.
Climate change has increasingly affected this form of recollection, and since 2010, a significant drop in productivity has occurred in naturally producing forests.
Cultivated areas are increasingly popular, and in central Spain, several thousands of hectares are dedicated to truffle cultivation (the Mecca of the black truffle being in Sarrión, Teruel province in the Aragon region). Some experiments have also been conducted in burnt areas, with promising results, as legally, no need to ask for a land-use change exists when planting truffles, as it can be considered (EU-28) as forest land.
Black truffles are now also cultivated in Australia, New Zealand, Chile, North America, Argentina, South Africa, and Wales. Cultivation involves the planting of, for example, hazel trees whose roots are inoculated with truffle mycelium. The first fruiting bodies can be harvested about 4–10 years after planting the trees.madrimasd. "New technique to grow black truffles". ScienceDaily, 23 October 2012. Web. 5 August 2013.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Archived 2 September 2021 at archive.today.
France accounts for around 45% of the world's production of black truffles, Spain 35%, and Italy 20%. Smaller amounts are produced in the United States, South Africa, Slovenia, Croatia, and the Australian states of Tasmania and Western Australia. In 2005, black truffles were found in Serbia. About 80% of the French production comes from southeast France: upper Provence ( départements of Vaucluse and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), part of Dauphiné ( département of Drôme), and part of Languedoc ( département of Gard). About 20% of the production comes from southwest France: Quercy ( département of Lot) and Périgord. The largest truffle market in France (and probably also in the world) is at Richerenches in Vaucluse. The largest truffle market in southwest France is at Lalbenque in Quercy. These markets are busiest in January when the black truffles have their highest perfume.
Production has considerably diminished during the 21st century, dropping to around 20 metric tonnes per year, with peaks of about 46 tonnes in the best years. By comparison, in 1937, France produced about 1,000 metric tonnes of black truffles.
The following table shows the production in the EU of T. melanosporum in Spain, France, and Italy. Production data are in metric tonnes and country weights in percentage and come from the Groupe Européen Truffe et Trufficulture, an association of the leading European producers.
| 10 |
| 14 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 65 |
| 39 |
| 21 |
| 18 |
| 16 |
| 12 |
| 9 |
| 13 |
| 21 |
| 27 |
| 17 |
| 22 |
| 17 |
| 14 |
| 22 |
| 16 |
| 18 |
| 12 |
| 27 |
| 24 |
As the data show, France has been the leading producer of black truffles in the last decade and a half but is rapidly challenged by Spain, where regions have made use of the EU-funded Rural Development Programme to subsidise cultivated plantations. This is particularly visible in the Teruel province of the Aragón region, where the black truffle represents the first and main economic activity (in GDP and employment), especially since 2010-2011 when many plantations opened under the last Rural Development Programme 2000-2006 came into production phase.
In cooking, black truffles are used to refine the taste of meat, fish, soups, cheeses, and risotto. Unlike white truffles, the aroma of black truffles does not diminish when they are heated but becomes more intense. They are most commonly shaved into or on top of a dish raw or infused with high-quality olive oil or butter.Tita, Nicolo. "The Fresh Truffle Guide – How to Use Fresh Truffles, 7 November 2018. Retrieved on 27 January 2021.
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