What do we really know about aroma and nutritional profile of truffles? A critical review of sparse and fragmented evidence

Truffles are hypogeous fungi highly prized for their distinctive aroma, which largely determines their culinary uses, market value, and symbolic status as luxury foods. Their gastronomic relevance is therefore primarily aroma-driven, whereas their nutritional significance is more difficult to define because truffles are consumed infrequently and in very small quantities. This review critically examines the current knowledge on true truffles ( Tuber spp.) by jointly considering aroma-related characteristics and nutritional composition. Emphasis is placed on the extent to which sensory information, odour-active compounds, consumer perception, and compositional data can support a scientifically robust evaluation of truffle quality. Current evidence indicates that truffle aroma has been studied far more extensively than nutritional composition, but the available literature remains fragmented and methodologically heterogeneous. Sensory studies are scarce, the application of the sensomics approach is still limited to a small number of species, and many investigations of volatile fractions rely on chemical profiling without adequately linking instrumental data to perceived aroma. Nutritional studies likewise suffer from incomplete species coverage, different analytical approaches, inconsistent reporting units, and limited consideration of the actual dietary relevance of truffles. Within this framework, the present review identifies the main knowledge gaps, discusses methodological weaknesses in the literature, and outlines priorities for future research. A more integrated and standardized approach is needed to assess truffles as complex food products, to distinguish genuine truffle quality from simplified flavouring-based representations, and to place their nutritional value in realistic relation to their actual patterns of consumption.