Methods to find truffles – Intro

Go to truffles must be primarily a hobby and a passion, a way of living and respect nature.
It’s a good way to kick back and relax from daily routine and stress, but as said you should always have an eye on the environment, so you need to choose a way to find this precious mushroom which is effective but also preserves the territory.
In this series of articles will be briefly describe the techniques used and known, and finally a summary table to synthesize the concepts presented.
The methods covered will include the following:
• Dog
• Pig
• Fly
• Olfactometer or Electronic Nose
• Digging

Truffle Hunting in Europe

Truffles are difficult to find and very expensive as a result! In 1994, black truffles sold for $350 to $500 a pound. In the United States, edible truffles are collected in the forests of Oregon and Washington. In Europe, most truffles are collected in France and Italy. Truffle hunters in Italy and France use pigs and mixed-breed dogs to sniff out truffles. Dogs are preferred to pigs because pigs love to eat truffles. The hunters use a staff to force the pig to back off, once the pig has located a truffle.

In Italy, truffle dogs are trained in several steps. First, the dog is taught to retrieve a rubber ball. Next, a small bit of smelly Gorgonzola cheese is substituted for the rubber ball. After the dog has learned to retrieve the cheese, the cheese is hidden, forcing the dog to sniff it out for a reward of food. Finally, a small truffle is substituted for the cheese. The dog is trained to fetch, then dig up the truffle. Dogs like other food better than truffles, so bread and other treats are used for rewards. The night before a truffle hunt the dog is not fed so it will be eager to find truffles for the treat. Some dogs take the easy way out. They find and eat garbage buried by campers! Dogs generally do not find young truffles because the odor is too weak. The odor becomes stronger with age as the spores mature.

The value of commercial truffles means that there are laws controlling their collection. In Italy, for example, truffle collectors are tested and licensed. There, organizations of land owners called cooperatives control truffle hunting on their property. Unless you are a member of the cooperative, you can be arrested for collecting truffles from cooperative truffle beds.