The issue of foreign truffles: the black truffle's point of view
Before we begin, we want to clarify that this article will discuss truffle imports, scams, and the quality differences between Italian and foreign truffles. With the utmost respect for our readers, despite the sensitive and uncomfortable nature of some topics, NERO PREGIATO takes full responsibility for the content reported in this article, firmly stating that importing foreign truffles into Italy is perfectly legal.
We all agree that truffles are one of the most coveted gourmet foods. It is also true that not everyone can call themselves expert mycologists or experts in the Italian, European, and global truffle market. Perhaps it is to this audience that I wish to address this article, which features on one side the summer truffle, also known as "scorzone," and on the other, the social scourge that Italian companies (the serious ones) and truffle hunters face every day. I am therefore addressing those restaurateurs and truffle entrepreneurs who primarily focus on price, setting aside quality, transparency, traceability, and respect for current regulations and fair competition. We hope that by the end of this article, you will have some additional information that you can perhaps benefit from to avoid falling victim to actual scams.
As we have repeatedly mentioned, in addition to the economic factor of supply and demand, availability also affects the price of truffles. Regarding summer truffles, it must be said that their availability is very high and demand is also very high, as this species of hypogeous fungus is best suited as a "base" for preparing truffle sauces or preserved truffle products. You might think: "Perfect: there's an industrial quantity of summer truffles, and there's demand. What's the problem?" The problem, dear reader, is that truffle availability is indeed high, but NOT ONLY IN ITALY.
Every week, dozens of tons of truffles are exported from countries like Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Iran, and Azerbaijan, ending up on the tables of restaurants across half of Europe, often with the almost complete ignorance of restaurateurs and consumers. And what if I told you that many Italian companies, as you read this article, are negotiating supplies of Tuber aestivum from Bulgaria, which in turn imports from countries like Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan?
"Iran, the new frontier of the scorzone": this was the title I had thought of for this article, but probably anyone who only read the title might have misunderstood my point of view regarding Iranian truffles. Famous for its expensive and highly prized Beluga caviar, appreciated worldwide, the Islamic Republic of Iran has for several years been the second-largest exporter of Tirmanie desert truffles, Terfezie sand truffles, and similar summer truffles, after Bulgaria, which is in turn their largest importer.
Iranian truffles are flavorless, with an often irregular external appearance and a pericarp (crust) much less pronounced compared to Italian Tuber aestivum, which is characterized by significantly larger warts (hence the name scorzone) and varying markings depending on the symbiotic plant and the harvesting area. Each plant and every Italian truffle-producing area gives the truffle a unique taste and aroma. This is why Umbrian scorzone is different from that of Veneto or Lombardy, and a fine white truffle found near a downy oak has a different aroma and shape than one found near a linden tree. Bulgarian truffles, however, are similar to Italian ones in appearance and pericarp composition, but there is no comparison in terms of taste and aroma: the aroma and flavor of Italian truffles are unparalleled.
The information I am sharing comes from several clients who have decided to withdraw their trust from those who, for years, have defrauded them by selling foreign truffles as Italian. These clients have chosen to trust us at NERO PREGIATO, as we purchase truffles from professional or occasional truffle hunters all year round and also source from our own truffle grounds for the fine black truffle. We guarantee our customers product traceability, providing invoices with the collection area, which generally indicates the province, but for small orders purchased from a single team of truffle hunters, we can even declare the municipality and/or the mountain area where the truffle was collected.
While importing truffles from abroad is not forbidden, passing off foreign truffles as Italian is a serious crime. These situations do not only concern summer truffles: there are numerous cases of Italian bianchetto (Tuber borchii) batches "cut" with Tunisian terfezie or Bulgarian bianchetto; there are also abundant batches of Tuber magnatum pico cut with bianchetto, especially at the beginning of the year, when the fine white truffle season ends and the Tuber borchii season simultaneously begins.
Not to mention the scams involving Tuber Melanosporum (Norcia and Spoleto black truffle, also known as sweet black). Last winter, especially in Belgium and Germany, an alleged Tuber Melanosporum Vitt., declared as harvested in the mountain areas of Umbria, Marche, and Molise, arrived from Italy, sold for a few hundred euros—a negligible amount compared to the Italian purchase price for a good restaurant-grade size. The result? Chinese truffle, also known as "Tuber indicum," almost indistinguishable from our precious black truffle, and very difficult to recognize even for experts. Despite being odorless, when mixed with authentic fine black truffles, it absorbs their scent for several hours, leaving the restaurateur convinced they made a good deal. With a few fewer red veins, defrauding even the most experienced would be child's play.
Many of you might think that this article is a way to highlight the seriousness and professionalism of our company, casting discredit on those who buy truffles from abroad. Nothing could be further from the truth. We repeat, buying truffles from abroad is not a crime, and we have nothing against importers. However, it is a very serious crime to buy foreign truffles and sell them as Italian. We do not intend to judge the modus operandi of importers, among whom there are also some who act correctly, selling Bulgarian truffles as Bulgarian without deceiving consumer clients.
But our work is different: our mission is to select the best qualities of Italian truffles and guarantee users complete traceability. Obviously, our target customers are different from those mentioned previously: if tomorrow we offered our chefs a kilo of Italian Tuber aestivum for 50 euros, we would lose a customer rather than sell an extra kilo. Therefore, to be clear, we distance ourselves from those who wish to buy truffles at the price of bresaola.
We therefore invite you to consider this article not as an investigation into Italian importers of Iranian or Bulgarian truffles, but as a tribute to "Made in Italy," to Italian truffles, and their unmistakable quality. We also want to celebrate our teams of truffle hunters, always smiling and sure to receive compliments for their harvest even before turning on the scales and calculator. We firmly believe that truffles should be an exception on every menu because they represent a dream, and for us, they have become a way of life.