Italian truffle hunting becomes intangible world heritage practice

The ancient tradition’s status was inscribed at the latest UNESCO meeting

"Truffle hunting and extraction in Italy: traditional knowledge and practice" is the official name under which this ancient practice entered into the intangible cultural heritage of humanity protected by UNESCO. The decision was adopted on the occasion of the sixteenth session of the UNESCO intergovernmental committee which met in Paris.

The art of truffle hunting (and it is without a doubt something that combines skill, chance and artistry) involves an Italian national network made of about 73,600 practitioners, called tartufai. They are gathered in 45 associated groups under the National Federation of Italian truffle associations (Fnati).

Dogs are a big part of this, too

The truffles are edible fungi that grow near the roots of trees (usually oaks) and are especially prized for their strong flavour and aroma by gourmands the world over. Truffle hunting involves two steps: searching and extraction.

The first one centres on the collaboration between the hunter and his dog, which is trained to sniff out truffles. The hunters then use a special spade that allows them to extract the truffles without disturbing the soil conditions. Truffle hunting involves a wide range of skills and knowledge (about climate, the environment and vegetation) related to the management of natural ecosystems and is thus a sustainable practice with ancient origins.

This is not something you learn in university either. Truffle hunting is a shared tradition taught in families. The oldest truffle hunter in the household, a grandfather or a father, teaches the new generations the secrets, tricks, places and techniques of hunting and extracting. A lot of it is a matter of anecdotes and well-guarded secret spots.

The most prestigious truffles are found mostly in the Piedmont region near the town of Alba, where a yearly fair celebrating and auctioning the culinary treasure takes place. The white truffles found there are more pungent, rare and expensive than black ones, which have a longer growing season and are more common in the centre and south of Italy.

The white truffle just had a great 2021 season with prices rising to record levels due to a COVID-linked scarcity. In October, prices reached more than 2000 euros per kilogram for the delicacy.