From scientific research to digital marketing, including local development: the Alto Monferrato white truffle is also conquering university classrooms. The product traceability studies developed by the University of Eastern Piedmont were in fact selected as “case histories” in the Digital Marketing course at the University of Pavia.
At the heart of the project is the work of teachers Guido Lingua, Maurizio Aceto, and Vito Rubino, who developed an innovative analytical traceability method capable of precisely determining the origin of truffles, distinguishing those from Alto Monferrato from products from other Italian and European regions.
This research has piqued the interest of the University of Pavia, where in the coming months students will be asked to develop digital communication and promotion strategies for truffles and the local area. “The goal – explains Rubino, project coordinator – is to strengthen online visibility by working on rebranding, social media, and local storytelling”.
The scientific results were also enhanced as part of the NODES project, through a competitive tender won by the ATS “Municipalities of the Fine White Truffle of Alto Monferrato”, a network that brings together 21 localities in the Ovada, Acquese, and Asti areas. Precisely in this context, last March 20th Rubino presented the results of the research to the students of Pavia, paving the way for new practical applications.
The project, developed in collaboration with the National Research Council and the Alessandria-Asti Chamber of Commerce, continues to produce concrete benefits. Not only tourism promotion, but also local interventions: thanks to regional funding of approximately 30,000 euros, work has begun to restore natural environments suitable for truffle production.
At the same time, new forms of forest management and cultural initiatives aimed at young people are being studied, with the aim of involving schools and local communities in a process of shared valorization.
The gaze is already turned to the future. The next step will be the scientific characterization of the white truffle, to certify its quality and peculiarities. “Like all products of the earth – concludes Rubino – truffles also have a precise ripening cycle. The goal is to identify the ideal time for harvesting, when the organoleptic and aromatic characteristics reach the highest level”.
A project that demonstrates how research, innovation, and territory can intertwine, transforming local excellence into a development model that can be replicated and competitive internationally.