Asambleas

HOKTO Corporation, Japan’s leading mycological company, joins the EMI as a new partner and will participate in these events.

In Soria, May the 25th 2020

The partners of the European Mycological Institute (EMI) have  agreed at the Assembly meeting held on May the 19^th, to launch the calls for TRUFFORUM ® 2021 and MYCOFORUM ® 2021. Institutions interested in organize these  international events may submit applications in the next two months in accordance with the specifications that can be consulted on the website  www.eumi.eu/calls/

TRUFFORUM ® was created by EMI in 2017 with the aim of promoting, in collaboration with European truffle federations, the responsible use of black truffle (Tubermelanosporum) in houses and restaurants. The purpose was educating consumers on: a) The different origins of black truffle in Europe. b) The different species of truffles and how to distinguish them. c) The differences between black truffle and imitation synthetic aromas. d) The importance of quality control to prevent fraud. e) The most suitable modes of use in the kitchen and gastronomy to enjoy all its authentic qualities. f) Truffle in the European territories of the truffle: its habitats, its truffles, its fairs, its specialized restaurants, etc.

TRUFFORUM has been organized in past editions in Zaragoza 2017 and Vic-Barcelona (2019 and 2020). For this edition of TRUFFORUM 2021 and given the exceptional situation caused by COVID-19, the EMI will promote among its partners the submission of a candidature shared by several cities with a joint program containing  common online parts and other face-to-face parts developed in the different territories interested in organizing the event.

Likewise, the Director of EMI proposed the creation and launch of the international event MYCOFORUM ® to facilitate the exchange of scientific and technical knowledge between Mycological Forests and promote the responsible use of forest mycological resources as an engine of rural development. It aims to facilitate innovative cooperation between public-private actors involved based on quality mycological products and services capable of generating territorial attractiveness of cities to the rural environment.

In addition, MYCOFORUM® will sensitize society in: a) The ecological importance of fungi in forests, b) The importance of considering fungi in forest management (mycoselviculture), c) The different local species used, where and how to collect them responsibly. d) The importance of quality control to ensure food security and prevent fraud. e) The most suitable modes of use of mushrooms in the kitchen to enjoy all its qualities. f) Mycotourism: mycological parks, local agri-food products, fairs, conferences, specialized restaurants, etc.

Finally, the Assembly approved the incorporation as new EMI partners the Japanese corporation HOKTO www.hokto-kinoko.com  , company dedicated to the research, development and production of fungi as healthy superfoods. It has 35 factories in Japan, California (USA), Taiwan and Malaysia. It employs 1179 workers and produces 71,625 tonnes of mushrooms (16% of the Japanese market). They have laboratories in which they investigate the cultivation of mycorrrhic species and their effect on human health. They are interested in being known in Europe and participate in Trufforum and Mycoforum events.

THE European Mycological Institute (EMI) is an EU public law entity based in the City of Soria, founded in 2016 by partners from Castilla y León, Nueva Aquitania, Occitania and Catalonia as part of the Interreg Micosylva+ project. Subsequently, new public/private partners from Aragon, Canada and China have joined, with the common objective of cooperating in improving the management, use and recovery of mycological resources in the agroforestry field of the participating territories.

EMI it is currently composed by the following institutions: the Provincial Council of Avila, the Forestry Technology Center of Catalonia, the Natural Heritage Foundation of Castilla y León, the French Region Occitan and the Chamber of Agriculture of the Dordogne -Périgord, the Center for Agro-Food Research and Technology of the Government of Aragon (CITA), the City of Soria (city where the headquarters of the EMI is located),  the Commonwealth of the 150 Peoples of the Land of Soria, the Bioproducts Development Center of Canada (Biopterre), the Chinese Corporation Guandong Golden Truffle Bio-Technology. Ltd. and partners such as IdForest, Mycea  (France), the Swiss Forest Research Institute (WSL)  and forestry consultanc Qilex.

In Soria, May the 25th 2020

The Director of the European Institute of Mycology

Fernando Martínez Peña