What adverse event led to a 2022 recall of French Lentil & Leek Crumbles (from Daily Harvest)? What ingredient likely included the causative agents?
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) — particularly with high ALT activity leading to 393 reports to FDA (including 133 hospitalizations). Tara flour from Tara spinosa containing amino acids baikiain, 3-hydroxymethyl tyrosine (3-HMT), and 3-hydroxymethyl phenylalanine (3-HMP).
Chittiboyina AG, Ali Z, Avula B, Khan SI, Mir TM, Zhang J, Aydoğan F, Zulfiqar F, Techen N, Parveen I, Pandey P, Adams SJ, Wang YH, Zhao J, Marshall GD, Pugh ND, Khan IA. Is Baikiain in Tara Flour a Causative Agent for the Adverse Events Associated with the Recalled Frozen French Lentil & Leek Crumbles Food Product? – A Working Hypothesis. Chem Res Toxicol. 2023 Jun 19;36(6):818-821. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.3c00100. Epub 2023 May 31. PMID: 37255213; PMCID: PMC10283043.
Contributed by: Michael Mullins, MD