The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ready-to-eat (RTE) beef jerky products due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen. The product may contain anchovies, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label. FSIS is issuing this public health alert out of the utmost of caution to ensure that consumers with allergic reactions to anchovies are aware that these products should not be consumed. This is a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product because of the presence in a product of very small amounts of the undeclared allergens are typically associated with milder human reactions. A recall was not requested because the products are not currently available for sale to consumers.

The RTE beef jerky products were produced from October 20, 2020 through January 12, 2021 and have a one-year shelf life. The product labeled as “CHARLIE BROWN FARMS PREMIUM BEEF JERKY Original Prime Rib” contains Worcestershire, which is not listed as an ingredient, but was utilized in the product formulation. The following products are subject to the public health alert:

  • 3-oz., 4-oz. and 8-oz. gold foil bags of “SETTLERS JERKY PEPPERED BEEF”
  • 3-oz., 4-oz. and 8-oz. gold foil bags of “SETTLERS JERKY OLD FASHIONED”
  • 4-oz. gold foil bags of “SETTLERS JERKY HOT BEEF”
  • 3-oz., 4-oz. and 8-oz. gold foil bags of “SETTLERS JERKY PRIME RIB”
  • 3-oz., 4-oz. and 8-oz. gold foil bags of “SETTLERS JERKY RING OF FIRE BEEF JERKY”
  • 3-oz., 4-oz. and 8-oz. gold foil bags of “SETTLERS JERKY GHOST PEPPER”
  • 3.25-oz. silver bags of “Sierra Madre Provision Co. OLD FASHIONED BEEF JERKY”
  • 3.25-oz. silver bags of “Sierra Madre Provision Co. PEPPERED BEEF JERKY”
  • 3.25-oz. silver bags of “Sierra Madre Provision Co. HOT BEEF JERKY”
  • 3.25-oz. silver bags of “Sierra Madre Provision Co. GHOST PEPPER BEEF JERKY”
  • 3.25-oz. silver bags of “Sierra Madre Provision Co. RING OF FIRE BEEF JERKY”
  • 3-oz., 4-oz. and 8-oz. silver bags of “CHARLIE BROWN FARMS PREMIUM FRESH BEEF JERKY GHOST PEPPER”
  • 3-oz. and 4-oz. gold bags of “CHARLIE BROWN FARMS PREMIUM FRESH BEEF JERKY Original Prime Rib”
  • 3-oz. and 4-oz. gold bags of “CHARLIE BROWN FARMS PREMIUM FRESH BEEF JERKY RING OF FIRE”

The products bear establishment number “EST. 8275” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were distributed for wholesale and also sent to retail locations in California.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ pantries.

The problem was discovered by FSIS inspection personnel. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

Source: FSIS