In our portal we have repeatedly talked about the many uses of truffles, which, increasingly, is also used for the production of sauces, condiments and typical products such as cheeses and meats. But with the expansion of online commerce, many wonder if the purchases of these products are really reliable because, as often happens, you find yourself with products where the truffle there is no trace.
To give strength to this thesis, unfortunately, there is a study by the CVUA of Stuttgart, which between 2019 and 2021 have examined 68 foods of animal origin with claims “truffle” and 26 foods that boast the precious food purchased online.
While fraud is rare in retail, researchers have found that in online shopping the situation is completely reversed.
The rate of complaints related to incorrect information about truffles, in fact, was around 46%. The reason? The low amount of truffle identified in foods where the expensive ingredient on the label was to be present.
Cheese, meat, sauces, salami, pizzas or pasta dishes: pay attention to the generic use of the word “truffle” in the labels. Saying “black truffle” is a very generic term that opens to many interpretations. According to the study, in fact, the truffle specialty most used as an ingredient is summer truffle, found to be present in almost 74% of samples.
What to do when we are about to buy a truffle product online? Pay attention to generic words like “truffle” or “black truffle”, always check the type that is really used.