In Piedmont there are very specific rules for the collection of the different types of truffles and these have been established with the Regional Law 16/2008 "Rules on the collection and cultivation of truffles and enhancement of regional truffle heritage". The white truffle of Alba has a harvesting period that goes from September 21st to January 31st, the collection of the precious black truffle instead takes place from December 1st to March 15th, the summer truffle from June 1st to August 31st and from September 21st to 30th November, the winter black truffle from December 15th to March 15th, the bianchetto truffle from January 15th to April 30th, the smooth black truffle from September 21st to December 31st. The collection is forbidden for all the truffle species from May 1st to May 31st and from September 1st to September 20th to ensure that the truffles can ripen without being collected too early.