TuberID

Truffles are esteemed edible fungi and one of the most valuable non-wood forest products that grow in symbiotic association with their host trees. They are of high economic and social value, and their cultivation is of significant interest for the development of rural areas in European countries, and increasingly, in other continents as well.

However, a decline in wild truffle production and heterogeneity in truffle yields in new plantations have been observed, mainly due to insufficient and scattered knowledge of the fungi’s ecology and management. Also, issues regarding techniques for preserving and processing truffles, as well as ethical, economic, legal, and normative frameworks related to truffle hunting and commercial exploitation, need to be addressed through a common effort. Accordingly, this MSCA-RISE project aims to establish a multilateral network of research and innovation staff active in the sustainable use of both wild and cultivated truffles, including cultivation, pre-treatment, preservation, and processing. Particular attention is paid to the juridical and normative frameworks for traceability legislation in each country involved, as well as to rules governing the collection of wild truffles in Europe.

The research capacities are strengthened through the exchange of knowledge and expertise within a shared research and training program, providing stronger transnational cooperation and better connections among actors committed to research and production along the truffles value chain. The involvement of Non-Academic organizations eases the sharing of knowledge and ideas from research to all levels of the truffle value chain.

The joint Intersectoral and Interdisciplinary exchange program involves 19 Academic and Non-Academic Beneficiaries and Partners. It has been carried out through a series of short (1-month) and long (2-5 Months) term staff exchanges.

More information on the INTACT project aims and results is available at https://intactproject.eu/.