Publications by authors named "Pedro Marco"

The aroma is critical in the reproductive biology of truffles and in their commercial quality. However, previous research has almost exclusively focused on characterizing ripe ascocarps. We characterized the volatilome of the highly-prized black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) ascocarps from July, in an early development stage, to March, in the late harvesting season, and investigated the relationships among aroma, ascocarp growth and morphogenetic development.

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Background: Truffle cultivation is evolving rapidly and new agronomic practices such as 'truffle nests' (localized peat amendments of the orchard soil) are being developed. Truffle nests improve the shape of truffles and their depth in the soil and reduce the occurrence of insect damage but have also raised concerns about their impact on the ripeness and maturity of the harvested truffles. In this study, the effect of the nests on the volatile organic compounds profile and the aromatic profile of black truffles was evaluated, as well as the existence of perceptible sensorial differences in truffles.

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The organoleptic and bioactive properties of truffles place these fungi as interesting materials for use in the of design functional foods based on fruiting bodies outside commercial standards. Moreover, kombucha beverages have become more popular in the Western world, leading to novel drinks using alternative substrates instead of tea leaves. In this work, two truffle species (, TMEL; , TAES) and three different symbiotic consortia of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBYs: SC1, SC2, and SC3) were tested.

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Nowadays, the truffle aroma attribute is not included as a quality parameter in the current recommendation that explains the truffle quality (UNECE standard 53 FFV3) and establishes the truffle commercial categories. However, the aroma is the main reason why truffles are worldwide appreciated. Indeed, more than 30 aromatic molecules compose it, and this is the reason why the human evaluation and identification of these odorants, without previous training, is quite subjective.

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Black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) is one of the most appreciated fungi in the world mainly due to its aromatic properties. In the emerging markets such as Argentina, the aroma of locally produced truffles has not been described yet. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from 102 black truffles from Argentina were analyzed using solid phase microextraction gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer detector (SPME-GC-MS).

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An optimized PLE method was applied to several truffle species using three different solvent mixtures to obtain bioactive enriched fractions. The pressurized water extracts contained mainly (1 → 3),(1 → 6)-β-D-glucans, chitins, and heteropolymers with galactose and mannose in their structures. The ethanol extracts included fatty acids and fungal sterols and others such as brassicasterol and stigmasterol, depending on the species.

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Truffle growers devote great efforts to improve black truffle productivity, developing agronomic practices such as 'truffle nests' (peat amendments that are supplemented with truffle spore inoculum). It has been hypothesized that improved fruiting associated with nests is linked to stimulation of truffle mycelia previously established in soil or to changes generated in soil fungal community. To assess this, we used real-time PCR to quantify black truffle extraradical mycelium during 2 years after nests installation.

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Nowadays black truffles are so highly valued that truffled products are available in supermarkets whereas fresh truffle is mainly used in the restaurants. It is known that truffle aroma can change because heat treatments, but there is no scientific evidence about what molecules are transferred, in which concentration, and how much time is needed to aromatize products with truffle. In this study, four different fat-based food products (milk, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil and egg's yolk), were used to study black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) aroma transference for 14 days.

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A supercritical fluid extraction methodology was used to extract flavoring and bioactive compounds from truffles. Some parameters such as CO flow rate (1-3 mg/mL), extraction time (15-90 min) and different trapping food matrices (grape seed oil, gelatin, agar agar and water) were optimized using response surface methodology to enhance extraction and trapping yields. The optimal conditions (2.

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Truffles are highly valued by their aromatic properties and can aromatize food products. However, the truffle aroma could be reduced or lost with heat treatments (pasteurization and sterilization) necessary for products security and safety. In this study, sunflower oil and honey were aromatized with black truffle (lyophilized and fresh) using two different concentrations (5 and 10 %) for 24 h and then heat treatments (pasteurization and sterilization) were carried out.

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A PLE (pressurized liquid extraction) method was adjusted following a full-factorial experimental design to obtain bioactive-enriched fractions from and . Temperature, time and solvent (water, ethanol and ethanol-water 1:1) parameters were investigated. The response variables investigated were: obtained yield and the levels of total carbohydrate (compounds, β-glucans, chitin, proteins, phenolic compounds and sterols).

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Ten truffle species of Tuber and Terfezia genera were chemical characterized, assessing their proximate composition, individual nutrient compounds and some bioactive molecules. The bioactive properties of these species were also evaluated, namely their antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic potential. Carbohydrates were the main macronutrients present in truffles, followed by proteins.

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The highly prized black truffle () has become a model species for ectomycorrhizal fungi biology. However, several questions concerning its reproductive phase remain unanswered. To provide new hypotheses on the fruitbody formation process, we have explored the causal links among development characters of black truffle fruitbodies that are primarily linked to either the mating process, fruitbody growing stage, or maturation.

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The cultivation of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Tuber melanosporum has considerably spread in recent years throughout the world. During the first years of truffle cultivation, weed control is a key practice to improve the establishment of host trees and the proliferation of the fungus in the soil. Glyphosate is nowadays the most commonly used herbicide in Spanish truffle orchards.

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Media can play a key role in shaping public opinion and setting a policy agenda by conveying and influencing public discourse. This article evaluates how the Spanish media has covered the topic of the forest bioeconomy and what kind of discourse it has produced and reproduced around it. For this purpose, we analysed the content of 204 national and regional newspaper articles.

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Truffles, besides the appreciated aromatic compounds, contain other molecules with interesting bioactive properties. A screening of fungal sterols and β-glucans within different truffle species and locations was carried out. These compounds were extracted with pressurized liquids (PLE) generating enriched fractions.

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Black truffle is characterized by a black ascocarp and white veins. This hypogeous fruit body is known for its aroma. Understanding metabolic variation during ripening can shed light on truffle biology.

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In Tuber melanosporum cultivation, fruitbody traits are gaining relevance due to their increasing prominence on prices. We investigated the edaphic and temporal patterns of fruitbody traits and characterised the effect of truffle nests (localised peat-based amendment supplemented with T. melanosporum spores) on traits.

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is a pioneer ectomycorrhizal fungus with facultative saprophytic capacities. Here, we sequenced the genome of strain Sb_GMNB300, which is estimated at 51.6 Mb in size with 872 assembled contigs accounting for 12,597 predicted coding genes.

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Background: The aim of this study is to report the experience with a program of Intensive Care to facilitate Organ Donation (ICOD) in 2 Spanish centers based on a common protocol.

Methods: Retrospective review of clinical charts of patients with a devastating brain injury whose families were approached to discuss the possibility of ICOD once further treatment was deemed futile by the treating team. Study period is from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2015.

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The European black truffle is a mycorrhizal fungus native to Spanish Mediterranean forests. In most Spanish regions it was originally commercially harvested in the second half of the 20th century. Experts agree that wild truffle yields suffered a sharp decline during the 1970s and 1980s.

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The Tuber indicum (Chinese truffle) and Tuber melanosporum (Black truffle) species are morphologically very similar but their aromas are very different. The black truffle aroma is much more intense and complex, and it is consequently appreciated more gastronomically. This work tries to determine whether the differences between the aromatic compounds of both species are sufficiently significant so as to apply them to fraud detection.

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The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of freezing black truffles (Tuber melanosporum) on their aroma both in sensory and chemical terms. The truffles were frozen at temperatures of -20 to -80°C. Descriptive and discriminative sensory and chemical analyses, based on headspace solid phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (HS-SPME-GC-MS), were carried out after 1, 20, 40 and 60 days.

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The effects of electron-beam or gamma irradiation (doses of 1.5 kGy and 2.5 kGy of either one) on the microbial populations, respiratory activity and sensory characteristics of Tuber melanosporum packaged under modified atmospheres were monitored immediately after treatment, and subsequently every seven days during 35 days of storage at 4 °C.

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