The biochemistry and biological properties of the world's most expensive underground edible mushroom: Truffles

This review is to provide an update in the recent truffle research with particular emphasis on the chemical properties (nutritional and aromatic profile) and their potential biological activities such as antioxidant, antiviral, anti-microbial, hepatoprotective, anti-mutagenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-tuberculoid. In addition, some of the diversification patterns (e.g., biogeography, cultivar, and morphology) and preservation of truffles are briefly introduced. A few snapshot summary tables are also incorporated to give further detailed guidance for each section, spanning in particular the findings in the last ten years (2000–2010). It is quite clear that further scientific studies need to pay greater attention on how to incorporate these biochemical and biological properties into the value-added truffles and truffle related products.

► This review updates recent truffle research.
► Most scientific works focus on the aromatic analysis of many truffle species.
► Truffles also attract scientific interest as potential functional food ingredients.
► Integrating biochemical and biological properties of truffle into truffle related products are future direction.