Daily Harvest has identified tara flour as the apparent culprit in the illnesses that may be linked to that company’s French Lentil + Leeks Crumbles. The FDA reports that there have been 277 adverse event complaints received so far, and that 96 people have been hospitalized because they are so ill; some have had their gall bladders removed. There have been almost 500 anecdotal reports of illness. The FDA has not commented on this new information as of July 19, 2022.
But there is no indication of just what it is about the tara flour that has made people sick. The product is not inherently toxic. And considering that the crumbles have been tested for everything from E. coli bacteria to Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, gluten, pesticides, heavy metals, and other chemicals, it’s surprising that no specific compound has been identified.