Radio | Newsweek in plain Finnish | 9.11.2025

Finnish truffle research

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This week’s news topic is truffles. They are valuable mushrooms that live underground. A new truffle study has begun in Finland.

Truffle research has begun in Finland

Monica Alt, who is researching truffles, looks at the truffle in her fingers.

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Monica Alt is interested in studying fungi. Truffles were chosen as the research subject, as little is known about them. Photo: Petteri Juuti / Yle

The secrets of truffles are now being studied in Finland. A new truffle study began in October.

It explains which types of truffles grow in Finland and where they can be found. Until now, it has been said that truffles are difficult to find.

Truffle research is led by the Finnish Museum of Natural History. Members of the Finnish Truffle Enthusiasts Association collect samples from different parts of Finland.

So far, only 5 species of truffles are scientifically known in Finland. However, enthusiasts are constantly discovering new and different-looking truffles from different parts of the country.

Monica Alt is doing her master’s thesis at the University of Helsinki. She says that a real estimate of the species and numbers has not yet been made.

Truffle dogs can smell mushrooms

Kirsi Saloniemi and her dark curly-haired dog Martta in a park, the grass of which is covered with yellow and red leaves.

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Kirsi Saloniemi and Martta the dog are an effective pair in the search for truffles. Photo: Petteri Juuti / Yle

Dogs are a new addition to truffle hunting. The Italian truffle dog Lagotto Romagnolo breed in particular is a popular hunting dog.

In Järvenpää, truffle enthusiast Kirsi Saloniemi and her dog Martta are searching for truffles. Saloniemi says that at best she has found over a kilo of truffles in 3 hours.

Dogs can smell very small truffles, even when the ground is damp and covered with leaves. When a truffle is found, it is dug up and examined.

After digging, the soil is carefully covered. This way, the mushroom root is not damaged.

The truffle is a valuable mushroom

![En person skär en bit av en mogen truffle vamp. Svampen är en härd svart knöl med ljusbrun insida.](https://images.cdn.yle.fi/image/upload/c_crop,h_3375,w_6000,x_0,y_318/ar_1.777777777777777 7,c_fill,g_faces,h_431,w_767/dpr_1.0/q_auto:eco/f_auto/fl_lossy/v1761832423/39-1546234690363117e6dc)

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Photo: Marie Söderman / Yle

Truffles are perhaps the most expensive edible mushroom in the world. The price of a kilo of northern truffles can be up to several thousand euros.

Not all truffles are suitable for eating or selling.

Truffles are not allowed to be collected by anyone. Digging requires permission from the landowner.

Ordinary mushrooms can be collected from all forests, but not near the yards of houses.

Truffle season is a little late this year. Sample collection will continue this month. When the ground is covered in snow, the research will continue in the laboratory.

Repetition

Here was Uutisviikko in plain Finnish. The topic of the news week was Finnish truffles

New research finds out what kind of truffles grow in Finland and where to find them.

Truffle enthusiasts have started searching for truffles with the help of dogs.

News week again next Saturday. See you again, stay tuned!