Truffles are coveted by food lovers around the world but they also come at a high cost, which has earned them the name of diamonds on the table. However a new species of truffle has been discovered in Taiwan which may be easier to cultivate.
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Foodies rejoice! A new species of black truffle has been discovered in southeast Taiwan's Taitung County. Researchers from the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute (TFRI) found the new species of truffle during excavations in Taimali Township. It is being referred to as Taitung's very own black truffle.
TFRI Assistant Researcher Lin Chieh-lung (林介龍) says the new discovery is Taiwan's third species of black truffle. Unlike other species that require a habitat with an altitude of around 1300 to 1500 meters to grow, this species can be found at an altitude of just 500 meters. That is the lowest-altitude habitat of the five truffle species discovered by the group so far, which means it has great potential for artificial cultivation.
However, consumers won't be tasting this truffle anytime soon. Lin says that cultivating the newly discovered species could take between six and eight years.
With its high-costs and lengthy cultivation time, curious food lovers will have to wait and see if this new species is worth all the truffle.