Table 1.

Some illustrative truffle species and their properties

Truffle species Common name Characteristics Image

Tuber aestivum Summer truffle The Black summer truffle is found across
Europe and is prized for its culinary value.

Tuber uncinatum Burgundy truffle Burgundy truffles are harvested in autumn

until December and have aromatic flesh of a
darker colour.Native to France, Italy, and
Spain, the summer truffles are usually at
their best in July, but can be found from May
to October. They have a black exterior and
off-white interior, and a relatively light
scent.
Tuber Oregon white These are firm and brittle, will have a beige
gibbosum & T. truffles to smokey-colored marbled interior, and a
oregonense pleasant earthy odor. Mushroom eggs (and
many truffle species that are only appetizing
to squirrels) are generally squishier,
spongy, or cartilaginous

Kalapuyabrunnea Oregon brown It has a reddish-brown exterior and a

truffle greyish mottled interior. When mature the
odor can be quite garlicky.
Leucangiumcarthusi Oregon black truffle
anum  Less common than Oregon white truffles,
Oregon blacks are larger (golf-ball to
baseball size), and are often much deeper in
the soil than Oregon whites (commonly 4-
10" deep). They are very dark inside and
out, and have a very pungent, earthy odor
when ripe. Some equate the aroma to a
strange mix of pineapple, port, mushrooms,
rich soil, and chocolate.
Tuber French black Native to the oak forests of the Perigord
melanosporum (Perigord) truffle  region of central and southwest France, it is
now widely cultivated in Spain, Australia,
and the United States. It has a blue-black
exterior when fresh, fading to brown-black
with age and a pungent, earthy odor.

Italian white
Tuber magnatum (Piedmont) truffle  Considered to be second best to the French
black truffles, its cost can exceed that of the
perigord. The flesh is solid, light-coloured,
and very brittle; it is not unheard of for a
fresh truffle to shatter if dropped on the
floor. Large specimens can weigh as much
as a pound, but most are the size of large
walnuts. The white truffle is slightly more
perishable than its darker cousins, and the
flavour and aroma diminishes within a week
or two after harvest. The white truffle has a
distinctive pepper edge and is often eaten
 raw. The skin is a dirty beige when fresh,
turning a darker brown with age.
Tuscan truffle
Tuber borchii Similar to the Italian white truffle in
appearance, having a chestnut to muddy tan
exterior and a softish interior equally
divided between chocolate brown and
white. The flavor can be distinctly garlicky.

Chinese truffles
Tuber sinense, Tuber These are three distinct species found in
indicum, and Tuber southwest China, but pickers tend to lump
himalayense them together as Chinese truffles. This is
unfortunate since the flavor and quality
vary from one species to another. T.
indicum is recognizable by its brown
interior and very fine white veins. T.
sinense has a dark brown interior with large
ivory veins, and is said to be chewy and oily
with a bitter aftertaste.
Desert truffles
Terfeziaboudieri, Ter Native to northern Africa and the Middle
feziapfielii, Terfeziac East, these truffles have been a staple for
laveryi, and others many nomadic tribes for millenia.
Sometimes called the Lightning Truffle, they
often fruit shortly after thunderstorms wet
the desert.
Table 2. Nutritional facts about mushrooms

Nutrients Range
Moisture (g/100g) 83-90
Energy (kcal/100g) 24-31
Protein (g/100g) 1.94- 3.00
Fat (g/100g) 0.20-0.34
Ash (g/100g) 0.79- 0.91
Carbohydrate (g/100g) 3.69- 8.42
Dietary fiber (g/100g) 1.45 - 2.70
Ergosterol (mg/100) 37- 69
b-Glucan (g/100g) 0.21 -0.79
Calcium (mg/100g) 1-4
Copper (mg/100g) 0.11 -0.30
Iron (mg/100g) 0.22- 1.15
Magnesium (mg/100g) 10- 16
Manganese (mg/100g) 0.05- 0.10
Phosphorus (mg/100g) 74- 105
Potassium (mg/100g) 204-359
Sodium (mg/100g) 1-15
Riboflavin (mg/100g) 0.20-0.33
Niacin (mg/100g) 2.80-7.03
Pantothenic acid (mg/100g) 0.27-1.36
Vitamin B-6 (mg/100g) 0.05- 0.10
Folic acid (mg/100g) 6- 52
Table 3. Nutritional composition of truffles
Composition By weight Percent
Fat 4.4g 7
Saturated Fat 2.7g 14
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.15g  --
Monounsaturated Fat 1.3g  --
Cholesterol 6.6mg 2
Sodium 9.0mg 0
Potassium 38.8mg 1
Carbohydrate 5.7g 2
Dietary Fiber 0.32g 1
Protein 0.72g 1
Alcohol 0.0g -- 

Table 4. Trace elements present in Truffles

Trace elements Percent

Vitamin A 1

Calcium 2

Vitamin D 0

Thiamin 1

Niacin 0

Vitamin B6 0

Phosphorus 2

Selenium 1

Vitamin C 0

Iron 1

Vitamin E 0

Riboflavin 2

Vitamin B12 1

Manganese 0

Copper 2
Magnesium 1

Zinc 1

Figure 1. Morphology of mushroom and truffles

Figure 2. Mushroom and truffle growing countries –a global scenario on percent basis