Smoothies are supposed to be a healthy meal replacement, but some who drink Daily Harvest claim they’re getting just the opposite.
The customizable, direct-to-consumer smoothie company has issued a recall of their plant-based, protein-packed “Crumbles” made of leeks and lentils after several customers reported abdominal discomfort, allegedly leading to ER visits and even a gallbladder removal.
Victims first came together on social media to share their experiences, such as Cosmopolitan magazine’s digital creative director Abigail Silverman, who went viral with more than 830,000 views on TikTok this week after sharing her story. She claims she landed in the hospital shortly after trying the Crumbles for the first time.
“When I was in the ER, they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me,” said Silverman, who was sent home with antibiotics. Five days later, her pain returned. “It was even worse, and I had a 101.8 fever.”
Back in the hospital, she was tested for “everything,” she recalled, including hepatitis, mono and gall stones, and also underwent a battery of scans and ultrasounds. She’s now seeing a liver specialist going forward, although her ailment remains a mystery.
A subReddit for Daily Harvest shoppers has also gathered several reports of high fever and “debilitating” stomach pains.
“Two weeks ago I tried the crumbles for the first time,” one report began. “That night, I had debilitating stomach pain, like nothing I had ever felt before. It was so bad I had to go to the ER as a last ditch effort to alleviate and manage the pain. After a CT scan, IV, meds, and a week on a bland diet I thought perhaps it was some sort of bug.”
They continued, “Fast forward to yesterday, I decided to try the crumbles again. Lo and behold I am awake with the exact same horrible stomach pain. Luckily I have prescription meds from the last time this happened and do not need to go back to the ER.”
Many others responded to the post with their parallel experiences. “I’ve been in and out of the hospital for 5 days now over the past 2 weeks with extreme abdominal pain, jaundice, elevated LFTs, etc. It would come on strong after eating crumbles.” They continued, “I didn’t put it together until the email DH sent out tonight offering $10 (ha!).”
One of the more extreme reports alleged organ failure due to Crumbles consumption. “I’m here with the same experience as all of you. I even had my gallbladder removed. Times for legal action guys. This is insane. INSANE. I am in shock.”
The plant-based product was launched only a few weeks go, as a crunchy, savory, protein-packed topping for Daily Harvest recipes.
Now, their product page reads that the French Lentil + Leeks Crumbles are “temporarily discontinued,” and urges shoppes to “please dispose of this item and do not eat it.” (Concerns over their new Walnut + Thyme Crumbles have not been reported.)
Daily Harvest did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
In a press release issued on Sunday, the company confirmed that they’d received complaints of “gastrointestinal issues” among customers after eating the Crumbles.
“Nothing matters more than the health and safety of our customers and we deeply value the trust you put in us and our food every day,” they began the statement, which asked consumers to continue reporting discomfort and illness associated with their products.
In an update on Wednesday, Daily Harvest continued, “We are taking this very seriously and doing everything we can to get to the bottom of this. Your health and well-being are our top priority.”
They go on to outline their current measures of investigation, claiming that they first “immediately took action and issued a voluntary recall” as soon as they heard the alarming reports, and reached out to patrons directly to warn them.
They’re now “working closely with the [Food and Drug Administration] and with multiple independent labs,” as well as “experts to help us get to the bottom of this.”
“All pathogen and toxicology results have come back negative so far, but we’re continuing to do extensive testing and will keep you updated,” they added.