The case study of the prized white truffle of Alto Monferrato is unique. New planning perspectives for food safety and tourism in Piedmont

During the IV Day of the prized white truffle of Alto Monferrato which was held on 14 October 2023 in Ponti (AL), researchers from the University of Eastern Piedmont, partner of Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry, confirmed that this species of truffle can be traced with extreme precision thanks to the correspondence between the truffles and the chemical fingerprint of the soil. There is enthusiasm for the positive implications that these data will have for the conservation of the territory, for the safety of the product and for the educational and tourist routes that will be enhanced.

During the day there were numerous speeches by some of the leading experts in the sector from the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle D'Aosta and from the Ministry of Health who together with the teachers of the University of Eastern Piedmont and researchers of the CNR have outlined the state of the art surrounding this excellent product highly characteristic of these areas of Piedmont.

The audience, made up of almost ninety people, was not disappointed: crucial issues were addressed such as the food safety problems of the sector, the new methods for identifying species, the impact of the product on quality tourism and, above all , the first results of ongoing research have been revealed which appear very encouraging: professors Maurizio Aceto (Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition DISSTE) and Guido Lingua (Department of Science and Technological Innovation DISIT) of UPO, together to the coordinator of the project, Professor Vito Rubino (DISSTE), they showed the outcome of the investigations on the samples provided, which confirm the expectations: there is a correspondence between the truffles of the territory and the chemical imprint of the soil, as well as a specificity of some DNA traits that are considered characteristic of the local product. This could lead to forms of "analytical" traceability, i.e. no longer based only on "documents" and "self-certifications", but on objective laboratory feedback on the product.

"The analyzes will also continue during the 2023 harvest campaign", explains Professor Vito Rubino. "Further initiatives are already budding from the initial project, such as the mapping of truffle funds for environmental recovery, the creation of educational truffle grounds and descriptive itineraries in the various municipalities of the ATS, the launch of monitoring on the quality and safety of local products and and finally, the creation of a tourist guide to the lands of the prized white truffle of Alto Monferrato".

The rector of the UPO, Professor Gian Carlo Avanzi, who introduced the works, also wanted to be part of the event. "Once again", said the Rector, "UPO confirms itself as a partner of local initiatives aimed at promoting and enhancing the excellence of its territory and leader of important scientific projects whose results will benefit both producers and consumers, at teaches transparency, loyalty and the valorisation of our extraordinary agri-food and environmental qualities".

The quality of the project coordinated by the University of Eastern Piedmont was also underlined by the Regional Councilor for Agriculture Marco Protopapa, by the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture of Alessandria and Asti Giampaolo Coscia and by the President of the Province of Alessandria Enrico Bussalino, all present and participating in the work together with the Mayors of the twenty Municipalities who created the ATS to finance the research led by the President of the Association, Franco Novelli.