Solved: Algal flour was causing violent illnesses, Soylent says

Ars Technica » Scientific Method 2016-11-13

Enlarge / AlgaVia® protein-rich whole algae. (credit: Business Wire, TerraVia)

A powdery substance made of dried up algae may have been the cause of violent gastrointestinal distress reported by Soylent powder and bar consumers.

Company founder and CEO Rob Rhinehart told Bloomberg Monday that Soylent will release newly formulated products next year that “will no longer contain algal flour.”

As Ars reported last month, the company halted sales of its flagship 1.6 powder and its snack bars after reports of illnesses bubbled up online. The company said it had ruled out contamination or quality control problems and suspected that a poorly mixed ingredient was causing intolerances in some customers. In an October 27 blog post, the company said it had narrowed down suspects by identifying ingredients used in both 1.6 and the bars but absent from its other, issue-free products.

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