US 12,751,476 B1Granted

Methods of producing truffle infusions

AssigneeBlack Boar Truffle, LLC

InventorsGary A. Strobel, Kelly W. Gaisford

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Abstract

Methods of producing truffle infusion using a pure culture of truffle fungus and using a pure culture of truffle fungus to produce a new flavor profile in food or an ingredient are disclosed. Also disclosed are truffle-growing composition and truffle-infused foods. The applicable truffle species include Tuber melanosporum, Tuber magnatum, Tuber aestivum, Tuber uncinatum, Tuber borchii, Imaia spp., Tuber macrosporum, Tuber gibbosum, Tuber oregonense, and Tuber lyonii. The truffle infusion is produced by incubating fruit, nut, grain, seed, or a portion thereof with the pure culture of truffle fungus. Fruit, nut, grain, seed that can be used to produce truffle powder, paste, or mash include rye, barley, lentil, wheat, rice, soybeans, pecan, hazelnut, pine nut, English walnut, coffee beans, mustard, cacao, sesame, sunflower, grapes, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, kiwi, mango, raspberries, and huckleberries.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method of producing a truffle infusion comprising:

combining in a grow bag or other suitable container a pure culture of ascomycetous fungus with fruit, nut, grain, seed or a portion thereof with a peptone solution;
adjusting the pH of the contents of the grow bag or other suitable container to 5.0-7.4;
incubating the grow bag or other suitable container at 19-21° C. for at least three weeks to produce a truffle-infused product;
and
heating the truffle-infused product to inactivate the ascomycetous fungus thereby producing a truffle mash, paste, or powder,
wherein the pure culture of ascomycetous fungus is obtained by:
obtaining a spore-producing fruiting body of an ascomycetous fungus from soil;
scraping the inside of the spore-producing fruiting body of the ascomycetous fungus to a collect a fruiting body sample, placing the fruiting body sample on a first surface comprising a nutrient substrate, wherein the nutrient substrate comprises:
a simple sugar;
a botanical isolate;
and
agar;
incubating the fruiting body sample on the nutrient substrate with an antimicrobial volatile mixture until mycelium formation, wherein the presence of mycelium indicates new fungal growth;
and
transferring the new fungal growth into a second surface comprising the nutrient substrate to obtain the pure culture of the ascomycetous fungus.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.