run under clean conditions. I’ve also used the Meixner test for amatoxins, which can be tricky to perform and to interpret. Te Amatoxtest is far superior! (For a full explanation of both and photo results, see the Amanitas of North America book, published by Te FUNGI Press.) Te Amatoxtest was developed by
researchers at the USDA Agricultural Research Service. Te Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency, and the test is being commercialized by Amatoxtest LLC. Amatoxtest LLC is a small company dedicated to decreasing the effects of deadly Amanita and other amanitin-containing species on our health and welfare. Te goal is to help clinicians, veterinarians, mushroom foragers, dog owners, and the general public to become more informed about the presence of this deadly toxin. Got questions? Email Richard F. Ransom, Ph.D., Founder, at
info@amatoxtest.com.
Alluring truffle odors: still not entirely understood
T
ruffles are one of the most expensive foods in the world. Hundreds of truffle
species exist, but the white truffle Tuber magnatum is regarded as the best. It’s far and away the most expensive, with prices ranging from €3000–5000 per kg and as high as €7000 per kg. Tuber magnatum is commonly known as the white, Alba, or Piedmont truffle named after the Italian region where, in the late Middle Ages, truffles were already well-known. But this is not the only place where the species is found. Te natural distribution of T. magnatum extends into southeast France and eastern Europe, including Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Slovenia, and Romania. Still, much of Europe does not see this truffle. Why T. magnatum grows only in these particular countries remains unclear, but host tree species is of course part of the story. Much of this truffle is an enigma, including its all-important, enticing aromas. It turns out that, depending on where this truffle is collected, the volatile odors are not all the same, they’re not always as strong and pungent. Is there such a thing as terroir with truffles, just as there is with wine grapes?
Fall 2021 FUNGI Volume 14:4 9
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