The Recall Desk
Agency classPublic Health AlertOur severity:HighUSDA FSIS·PHA-01152021-01·Announced 2021-01-15

USDA Issues Alert for Beef Jerky with Undeclared Anchovy Allergen

USDA FSIS issued a public health alert for specific beef jerky brands due to undeclared anchovies and misbranding. Consumers with anchovy allergies should discard the products.

The agency’s classification

USDA FSIS: Public Health Alert

Public Health Alert is a warning FSIS issues when there is a food-safety concern but a recall is not requested, typically because the affected product is no longer available for purchase.

This is the agency’s own classification, taken from its notice. The severity score below is our assessment, not the agency’s. How recall classes work

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves allergen mislabeling on a common allergen (anchovies) with no reported illnesses, which aligns with the High severity criteria in the rubric.

Plain-English summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert for ready-to-eat beef jerky products due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen. The affected products may contain anchovies, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label. Additionally, one product labeled as “CHARLIE BROWN FARMS PREMIUM BEEF JERKY Original Prime Rib” contains Worcestershire, which was not listed as an ingredient.

The products were produced between October 20, 2020, and January 12, 2021, and bear establishment number “EST. 8275.” They were distributed for wholesale and sent to retail locations in California. FSIS noted that a formal recall was not requested because the products are not currently available for sale to consumers, though some may remain in consumers' pantries. No confirmed reports of adverse reactions have been received.

Consumers with food allergies, specifically to anchovies, are urged not to consume these products and should throw them away. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider. For questions, consumers can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854 or visit the Ask USDA website.

The recalled product

Product
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Beef Jerky Products Due to Misbranding and an Undeclared Allergen
Category
Food — Beef Jerky
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed in 1 state:

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