Unexplained Illnesses Associated With a Subscription Meal Service, 2022

Area of Science:

• Foodborne illness epidemiology
• Plant-based food safety
• Nutritional science

Background:

• Increasing consumer demand for plant-based proteins and meal delivery services.
• Daily Harvest launched a plant-based Crumbles product line in 2022.
• A recall of French Lentil and Leek Crumbles followed consumer reports of gastrointestinal symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between Daily Harvest food products and reported illnesses.
• To identify the potential source of the gastrointestinal symptoms.
• To assess the role of tara flour in the outbreak.

Main Methods:

• Epidemiologic investigation using case data from a law firm.
• Independent review of data for 338 individuals, including 264 with food exposure details.
• Calculation of minimal attack rates for various products and consumption levels.

Main Results:

• All surveyed individuals (100%) who consumed Lentil and Leek Crumbles reported illness.
• Highest minimal attack rates were observed for Lentil and Leek Crumbles (1.4%).
• Increased illness risk correlated with higher consumption of Lentil and Leek Crumbles.

Conclusions:

• Tara flour is the suspected source of illness in the Daily Harvest outbreak.
• Further research is required to determine the safety of tara flour for human consumption.
• Nontraditional data sources are valuable for identifying foodborne illness origins.