Daily Harvest claims to have finally figured out which ingredient in its French Lentil + Leek Crumbles sickened consumers: tara flour, a protein made from tree pods native to Peru.
“We have only used this ingredient in French Lentil + Leek Crumbles and we are no longer sourcing from this producer who does not provide any ingredients for our 140+ other items,” wrote Daily Harvest CEO Rachel Drori in an update posted today (July 19) on the subscription service’s website.
This is the first time Daily Harvest has ever used tara flour, wrote Drori, adding the company will continue to investigate what specifically sickened customers alongside the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the tara flour producer.
Daily Harvest is currently facing numerous lawsuits from lentil crumble consumers, many of whom underwent gallbladder surgery and suffered liver dysfunction after eating the meal.
Another product with the same ingredient has caused similar medical symptoms
These symptoms are strikingly similar to claims alleged against another meal-delivery service, according to William Marler, an attorney representing 286 people in the Daily Harvest outbreak. Marler has also been contacted by over a dozen customers of Revive Superfood, who claim the Canadian-based meal company’s Mango and Pineapple Smoothie caused liver damage.
Like Daily Harvest’s lentil crumbles, the Revive Superfood smoothie lists tara as an ingredient.
“Neither Revive or Daily Harvest have been forthcoming, so we don’t know if they share the same supplier or whether there was some cross contamination,” said Marler.
The smoothie in question has since been removed from Revive Superfood’s website.
“Tara isn’t super common” said Benjamin Chapman, a professor specializing in food safety at North Carolina State University who believes more research needs to be done on the suppliers used by Daily Harvest and Revive Superfoods. “Is it from the same source? I think that really matters here.”
Revive Superfood did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
