Researchers discovered that the medicinal mushroom Sanghuangporus baumii produces 81 different flavonoids, compounds known for their health benefits including antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. Using advanced genetic and chemical analysis, they identified the genes and processes responsible for this flavonoid production in mushrooms, which differs from how plants make these compounds. By increasing the activity of a key gene called PAL, they were able to boost flavonoid production in the mushroom. This discovery opens new possibilities for using mushrooms as biological factories to produce flavonoids for medical and nutritional applications.