Israeli researchers figured out how to grow and cultivate in the middle of the desert one of the rarest, most sought-after delicacies of the culinary world: truffles.
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Truffles are considered by many foodies to be one of the tastiest food items on the planet.
The underground fungus is also a rather expensive ingredient, costing up to $4,000 per pound and the most expensive one selling for over $330,000 in 2010.
As fungi, they grow underground near tree and plant roots, and to find them, most truffle hunters use trained dogs and pigs to sniff them out.
There are over 40 species of truffle around the world, and they all share one common issue - they can only thrive in very specific weather conditions.
However, entrepreneurs around the world are racing to figure out how to grow the fungi gold as the industry is estimated to grow to nearly $6 billion over the next two decades.
While Israel is not historically known as a center for truffle production, researchers in Israel's Negev desert found a way to grow, find, and cultivate the so-called "desert truffle," which is famous across the Middle East and North Africa.
A desert truffle can only be found near the roots of a specific shrub and can cost $50-$200 per kilo.
"In Israel, the only ones who find the truffles are local Bedouin tribes," Ofer Guy, a scientist from Ramat Negev in southern Israel, told i24NEWS.
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For thousands of years, it has been a popular delicacy, especially among ancient Jewish communities during the Passover holiday.
However, it's been a mystery where the truffles grew, until now.
This article was first published by i24NEWS.
