Hundreds of Daily Harvest customers who ate French Lentil + Leek Crumbles suffered elevated liver enzymes with liver and gallbladder dysfunction, hospitalization, organ removal surgery, and serious food poisoning symptoms.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Daily Harvest induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with food poisoning after eating Daily Harvest meals or smoothies, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
UPDATE: 369 Illnesses Linked to Daily Harvest Lentils, 125 People Hospitalized
On August 25, 2022, the FDA posted an update on its investigation into “gastrointestinal illness and abnormal liver function” linked to Daily Harvest French Lentil + Leek Crumbles. Approximately 369 illnesses have been reported to health officials, including 125 people who were hospitalized.
The last illness was reported on August 9, 2022. People in dozens of states got sick, including: AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, MD, MA, MN, MS, MI, MO, MT, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI
Daily Harvest Says “Tara Flour” Likely Sickened Customers
On July 19, Daily Harvest identified tara flour as the ingredient that probably sickened hundreds of customers. Tara flour was used in French Lentil + Leek Crumbles for the “first and only time” this year, and no other products made by Daily Harvest.
The company said it is still working with the FDA “to help determine what specifically made people sick.” Source: Updates on our voluntary recall of French Lentil + Leek Crumbles
What is Tara Flour?
Tara flour is made from the seeds of tara trees, which are native to Peru in South America. Tara flour is sometimes used a a thickener in vegan food. It contains high amounts of protein and fiber.
FDA Opens Investigation Into Daily Harvest Illnesses
On June 30, the FDA announced an open investigation into reports of “gastrointestinal illness and abnormal liver function” linked to Daily Harvest French Lentil + Leek Crumbles.
On its website, Daily Harvest claimed that tests so far have “come back negative for food-borne pathogens including Listeria, E.Coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus Aureus (Staph), B.Cereus, and Clostridium Species,” as well as major food allergens, and the most common mycotoxins and aflatoxins.
What Should I Do?
“If you experience symptoms including yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), dark urine, itching with no rash, gastrointestinal illness, nausea, fatigue, body aches, severe abdominal pain and/or fever after consuming this product, please consult with your healthcare provider. Let your healthcare provider know you have recently consumed the recalled Daily Harvest French Lentil & Leek Crumbles.”
Daily Harvest Lawsuits Filed By More People Who Got Sick
At least 470 people said they got sick and around a dozen people needed surgery to remove their gallbladders after eating Daily Harvest French Lentil + Leek Crumbles, according to the company.
Many of these people were diagnosed with elevated liver enzymes with liver and gallbladder dysfunction, according to lawyers who represent around 100 people who are filing lawsuits and joining class actions.
1st Daily Harvest Lawsuit Filed by Woman Who Had Gallbladder Surgery
In June 2022, a lawsuit against Daily Harvest was filed by Carol R., a woman from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who needed surgery to remove her gallbladder after French Lentil + Leek Crumbles made her sick.
She first ate the product on May 7 after buying it through her subscription to Daily Harvest. The next day, she went to the hospital due to severe stomach pain, nausea and a headache.
She ate the product again on May 28. Again, she experienced stomach pain so severe that she was hospitalized for 4 days. She was diagnosed with elevated liver enzymes and gallbladder dysfunction. On June 24, she underwent surgery to remove her gallbladder, according to the lawsuit.
Her food poisoning lawsuit was filed on June 26, 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York – Case Number 1:22-cv-05385.
FDA Announces Recall and 470+ Illnesses Linked to Daily Harvest Food
On June 23, the FDA announce a recall for Daily Harvest French Lentil + Leek Crumble and the company reported that approximately 470 people got sick after eating it. The reports include “gastrointestinal illness and potential liver function issues.” From April 28 to June 17, 2022, approximately 28,000 units of the recalled product were distributed nationwide in the U.S.
What Happened?
Daily Harvest recalled French Lentil + Leek Crumble, a crunchy plant-based topping, after customers reported on social media that they ate the crumble and suffered serious food poisoning.
What Symptoms Have Been Reported?
- Elevated liver enzymes with liver and gallbladder dysfunction
- Liver damage
- Acute hepatitis (liver inflammation)
- Pain
- Severe cramps
- Fever
- Elevated liver enzymes (AST and ALT)
- Dark urine
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
- Gallbladder removed
- Hospitalization
Daily Harvest Investigates Reports of Food Poisoning
On June 22, Daily Harvest said on an Instagram post that it had contacted some “customers who reported adverse reactions and are collecting data to further the investigation.”
Daily Harvest is also enlisting the help of FDA experts but had not found any problems yet: “All pathogen and toxicology results have come back negative so far, but we’re continuing to do extensive testing and will keep you updated.”
At Least 470 People Got Sick After Eating Daily Harvest Food
Daily Harvest said “approximately 470 reports of illness or adverse reactions” were associated with French Lentil + Leek Crumble. The company emailed customers on June 17, advising them to throw away French Lentils + Leek Crumble because “a small number of customers have reported gastrointestinal discomfort.”
Under-cooked Lentils Can Cause Stomach Problems
Daily Harvest also reminded customers to cook lentils to an internal temperature of 165°F. Lentils contain dietary lectins, which are proteins that can cause sickness and discomfort when the lentils are not cooked properly (usually by pre-soaking the lentils and cooking them).
What is Daily Harvest?
Daily Harvest is a service that offers home deliveries of vegan frozen food. The company was founded in 2015 and quickly attracted celebrity investors and influencers on social media. The company offers a variety of frozen meals, bowls, smoothies and flatbreads.
Ingredients in French Lentil + Leek Crumbles
Daily Harvest French Lentil + Leek Crumbles contain these ingredients: organic butternut squash, organic hemp seeds, organic cauliflower rice, organic extra virgin olive oil, organic french lentils, organic red lentils, organic tri-colored quinoa, organic cremini mushrooms, organic tara flour, organic leeks, organic parsley, water, organic cassava root flour, organic flax seeds, organic sacha inchi powder, chia seeds, organic porcini powder, himalayan sea salt, organic apple cider vinegar, organic onion powder, nutritional yeast, organic garlic powder, organic tomato powder, organic white pepper, organic coriander seeds, organic mustard powder, organic thyme.
Daily Harvest Class Action Lawsuit
Consumers who got sick after eating French Lentil + Leek Crumble may be eligible to file a lawsuit or join a class action against Daily Harvest. If a class action is filed, these customers could qualify to seek financial compensation for their illness, lost wages, medical bills, long-term health problems (such as liver damage), and more.
Do I Have Elevated Liver Enzymes?
Elevated liver enzymes means that there are high levels of liver enzymes in the blood. When the liver is injured, it releases enzymes into the bloodstream (most commonly ALT or AST). This condition may be temporary, or it may be a long-term health issue related to liver dysfunction.
Liver enzymes are proteins that break down food and toxins, produce bile, blood clots, and more. Common liver enzymes include:
- Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
- Alanine transaminase (ALT)
- Aspartate transaminase (AST)
- Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)
Symptoms of Elevated Liver Enzymes
When the elevated liver enzymes are caused by liver damage, you may have symptoms like:
- Stomach pain
- Dark urine
- Fatigue (feeling very tired)
- Itching
- Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes)
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Light-colored stools (poop)
Gallbladder Dysfunction & Cholecystectomy Surgery
Gallbladder dysfunction (also called “biliary dyskinesia”) occurs when the flow of bile is obstructed. This can cause extreme pain, severe inflammation, and other digestive problems, especially after eating.
The gallbladder is a small organ on the upper-right side of the abdomen that is responsible for moving a digestive fluid called bile from the liver into the intestines, where it breaks down fatty foods.
Because gallbladder dysfunction is so painful and the organ is not essential for living a healthy life, many people have surgery to remove it. This surgery is called a cholecystectomy.
Do I have a Daily Harvest Food Poisoning Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Daily Harvest induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with food poisoning after eating Daily Harvest meals or smoothies, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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