english truffle

NEWS

Prof. Paul Thomas (our Managing Director) has appeared on several TV programmes, radio shows and in many written articles. Specific areas of expertise include the biology, cultivation, hunting and cooking methods of the wide range of truffle species. If you would like an interview or require information for an article then please use our contact form and we would be very happy to help.

Below, our most recent news articles are displayed and our back-catalogue is open for browsing.

April 8, 2016

Climate Change and the Impact on Truffle Supply

Climate change is happening. This we know. But how will climate change impact on truffle production and supply? In this article Dr Thomas discusses how the predicated changes in climate would impact Périgord truffle (Tuber melanosporum) production.
February 12, 2016

Sniffing out British Truffles

In some of our more recent media coverage join Dr Thomas and two of our partners in Kent as they hunt out truffles with the help of their dog Tally. Listen here.      
November 12, 2015

Macedonia’s first truffle harvest

Black truffles, valued at £1,000/kg have just been cultivated in Macedonia, a country where they do not occur naturally, with the help of British technology. In an impressive example of the export of British technology, four truffles were harvested by Professor Mitko Karadelev from trees inoculated with the black  
October 14, 2015

Beginners truffle cultivation seminar and truffle dinner 24/10/15

On Saturday October 24th 2015, Sheffield’s Inox Resturant will be hosting a seminar (free) for those interested in truffle cultivation followed by a  night celebrating truffles. The evening starts at 7.00pm and will include a journey through the fascinating world of truffles hosted by expert mycologist Dr Paul Thomas.    
September 7, 2015

Talking truffles with Dr Paul Thomas – by Firgas Esack

Our latest media coverage has just been published in Luxury Lifestyle magazine. Written by Firgas Esack, the article covers cultivation and the best places in the world to eat truffles:
July 14, 2015

The FIRST EVER cultivated British truffle – making history

On a cold day in rural Leicestershire, Dr Paul Thomas was checking on one of his UK plantations, sites that he establishes in partnership with landowners and farmers “The wind was cold as I walked to the first tree to take my annual root samples”. Dr Thomas was in for a huge surprise, as when he pulled the grass aside, in front of him he found a large and very rare prize. “I was in complete shock! I jumped backwards, dropped my tools and ran back to the farmhouse. It felt like I had seen a ghost”.
July 14, 2015

Rare truffle find

During our 2015 Napa Truffle Festival, we ran a very successful fungi foray with mycologists David Campbell and Stephanie Jarvis. After recent rains the finds were incredibly varied with prized edibles including matsutake and elfin saddle-backs. The real star of the foray though, was a surprise find of a rare truffle species by Lolo and her expert handler Alana McGee. Around the base of a young Douglas fir a fruity-smelling truffle was unearthed.
July 14, 2015

The 5th annual Napa Truffle Festival

The 5th annual festival is due to start in just over a week. Running from the 15th to the 19th of January, the festival is going to be one to remember. There will be a broad range of talks from the science of truffle cultivation and new advances to scent detection and economics. There are excursions that include Truffle hunting demos, a mushroom foray with expert David Campbell and a number of dinners at wineries with top chefs from around the world and of course our very own top truffle chef in America, Ken Frank. See here for more details: http://napatrufflefestival.com/
July 14, 2015

Latest Published paper

Our latest published paper, an analysis of the fruiting triggers of Tuber melanosporum cultivation incorporating data from six continents, is now up and ready to view and can copies can be requested for free. The paper is entitled: Tuber melanosporum spread within sub-optimal climatic zones is controlled by fruiting triggers and not mycorrhiza survival.
  • Samantha Ellis

    From guidance in orchard establishment, tree supply and management to our own truffle distribution network, we've got all angles covered

    Samantha Ellis
    Business Development
  • Dr Paul Thomas

    Thorough and scientific methodologies, attention to detail and having a committed partner at every step of the way, is the only reliable approach to truffle cultivation

    Dr Paul Thomas
    General Director
  • Daniel Paskin

    With our own genetics lab and research sites in 23 countries, we are truly world-leading in the field

    Daniel Paskin
    Nursery Manager
December 6, 2017

BBC Radio 4 You & Yours – Shari Vahl hunts the first UK Perigord truffles with us

In November Dr Thomas met with Shari Vahl from BBC Radio 4’s You & Yours programme to discuss Mycorrhizal Systems’ cultivation of the Black winter Perigord truffle on our partner site in South Wales – this is the first time the valuable truffle has been found north of France and is related to changing climatic conditions. Shari visits the plantation in Wales that is now producing both summer and winter truffle varieties.
December 6, 2017

Epigenetics: advanced truffle research 

In October we welcomed our new PhD candidate, Philip Schuler, to the Mycorrhizal Systems team.  Supervised by ourselves and Prof. Ganesan at the University of East Anglia, Philip is working on a new field in truffle research: the effect of epigenetic and morphogenetic modulators on truffle cultivation under model laboratory conditions. In essence, we have compounds which change how genes are expressed with the aim of looking for important modulators for truffle growth and fruiting. The aim is to eventually develop practical applications that can be applied to the orchards of our grower partners. This is a really exciting project and encompasses a range of experimental systems. Philip has been on several orchards already, collecting samples and has already got quite deep into lab work. Click through for some stunning images Philip has taken of the truffle fungus growing in association with the plant partner (Tuber aestivum).
November 5, 2017

First ever Périgord black truffle cultivated in the UK due to climate change

We’re excited to announce that the first cultivated black Périgord (winter) truffle in the UK has been produced using Mycorrhizal Systems technology – this is the first time the truffle has been found north of central France and was grown on our partner site in Monmouthshire, South Wales. The truffle find and associated research has been reported in the journal ‘Climate Research’. Analysis by researchers from the University of Cambridge and Dr Paul Thomas from Mycorrhizal Systems and the University of Stirling suggests that climate change was a factor and that truffle cultivation may be possible in many parts of the UK. The scientific breakthrough is an important development for the burgeoning UK truffle industry as climate change is threatening native black Périgord truffle habitats in southern Europe.