Truffle aroma – who produces it?

Abstract

Truffles are hypogeous fruiting bodies of Ascomycota fungi that obligatorily form ectomycorrhizal associations with host plants. These fungi emit volatile organic compounds, which act as ecological signs for spore dispersal and are synthesized either by the fungi themselves or by associated microbial communities. The black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) is highly valued for its distinctive aroma; however, desert truffles (Terfezia spp.) occasionally exhibit comparable aromatic profiles. This observation suggests a potential microbial contribution to truffle aroma, particularly involving bacterial communities inhabiting within truffle tissues. Comparative analyses of these microbiomes and their associated volatile organic compounds are central to this investigation.