When children start to grow, you always want to teach them to appreciate new flavors. The flavor of the truffle is particularly intense and delicious and many parents would like their children to appreciate it too, but can the little ones eat the truffle or are there any contraindications?
Let’s find out together the effects, methods and types of truffles perfect for our little ones:
The effects of truffles for children:
The truffle is a food that can have two types of effects for the child:
- possibility of infections: a truffle that is not cleaned well, especially if consumed raw, can cause important infections, among which toxoplasmosis certainly stands out; the disease in question is relatively harmless to adults (unless they are facing a pregnancy). For toddlers, this condition, while typically accompanied by major concerns when it affects children, is relatively harmless. A child who has a functioning immune system does not even need specific therapies, as he will certainly be able to cope with the infection with the strength of his own antibodies alone.
- poor digestibility: it is a case that mainly concerns mushrooms (and especially those with thick skin); part of the substances that make up the outer skin are decidedly difficult to digest before the age of 14, which is why they hardly become part of the ingredients for children’s recipes; the same can be said of the truffle, albeit to a much lesser extent.
Although the truffle is a product of the earth, for this reason potentially harmful, there is still the possibility of eating it even for children.
Worries are therefore reduced to a minimum and can be completely canceled by following one of the procedures that we will find listed below:
Freeze the truffle to make it sterile
The cold is one of the greatest friends of the wholesomeness of the food we bring to the table, and this also applies to truffles. By freezing the truffle for at least 14 days even at temperatures that are not very low (commonly a freezer does not exceed -20 ° C), we will be sure to eliminate at least the pathogens that are responsible for toxoplasmosis and we will have a product that has preserved most of the its organoleptic properties, while being 100% safe for both children and pregnant women.
Dried truffle
The same goes for the drying process. In this case, in fact, our truffle will become completely free from pathogens and will be safe for consumption by children. The dried truffle is first subjected to high temperatures at which each bacterium dies. This procedure makes dried truffle an excellent substitute for fresh truffle. On your pasta or risotto try our Summer truffle in dried slices and Summer truffle in dried slices with saffron, perhaps accompanied by a flavored seasoning to intensify the taste of your course.
Summer truffle in dried slices – Summer truffle in dried slices with saffron
Preserved truffle
Preserved truffle products are an excellent alternative as they have undergone sterilization and pasteurization processes. You will be spoiled for choice among all truffle-based specialties: sauces, creams, truffles, honey, mayonnaise, cheeses etc.
Tartufata – Truffle Honey– Truffled cheese
Truffles and children: cooking is a safety measure
Let’s close by talking about the type of truffle that can be given to children: The black truffle, whether it is winter or summer, bears cooking better, although it must still be very light (never fry it, never boil it, a stir-fry is more than enough ). Preferably, especially for the first periods, those of truffle weaning, we recommend black truffles: even a common scorzone will be more than good to start our little one to the wonders that only this product can offer. You can therefore choose to satisfy your little one’s craving for gluttony with DRIED, FROZEN truffle or with PRESERVED truffle products. In short, there is an embarrassment of choice.