A literature and database review and several experiments were carried out because of the
perturbing increase and exponential spreading of a major mistake thought scientific publications.
Up to October 2015, more than 136 reports ensured that mushrooms contain
flavonoids. However, 91% of the publications used an unspecific colorimetric method that
was developed to quantify them in plants. However, no sequences encoding chalcone synthase
or chalcone isomerase (key enzymes involved in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway)
were found in genomic databases even in completely sequenced mushrooms indicating that
they do not have the enzymes needed for their production. Fruiting bodies obtained from
substrates containing onion wastes and mycelia grown on media supplemented with specific
flavonoids showed no flavonoid content after HPLC DAD/MS determinations indicating
that they were also unable of absorbing them.