THE US Department of Agriculture just recalled a popular snack after it was discovered it contains a potentially life-threatening ingredient.

The USDA announced that the snack misbranded itself and contains a hidden ingredient that the company previously claimed it didn’t use.

Springville Meat & Cold Storage Co., Inc., is recalling over 15,000 pounds of its beloved beef jerky.

The heat-treated shelf-stable ready-to-eat beef sticks contained a hidden fish ingredient that isn’t mentioned on the label.

FSIS inspectors discovered that the Worcestershire sauce used in the jerky contains anchovies.

Not labeling the fish product could cause those with an anchovy allergy to go into anaphylaxis shock, which may lead to death.

So far, there has been no reported adverse reactions to the product.

Anyone who has eaten the product and is concerned about the allergen should contact a healthcare provider.

Those who have purchased beef sticks from the Springville Meat & Storage Co., should check to see if their product has “EST. 20528”  inside the USDA mark of inspection.

If it has the mark, then the USDA urges customers to throw it away or return it.

Those who have purchased the product are encouraged not to consume it.

No specific retailer has been identified as carrying the recalled product; however, the beef jerky can be purchased directly from the Utah-based business’s website.

Springville Meat & Cold Storage Co., Inc. did not immediately reply to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.

The announcement comes just weeks after the USDA recalled a primary ingredient: tomatoes.

The recall was first announced in early May, but has since been upgraded to a Class one recall, which is the FDA’s highest recall designation.

The new categorization means that there is “a reasonable probability” that the tomatoes will cause “serious adverse health consequences or death.”

The tomatoes come from Williams Farms Repack and were shipped to Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. 

According to the FDA, the products were found to be contaminated with Salmonella, which impacted 3-count packages, 10-pound boxes, 25-pound boxes, and 60-count 2-layer boxes.

Those who bought the product are urged not to consume it and to return it for a full refund or throw it away.

In the initial recall, the FDA warned that the contaminant can cause “serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.”

Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain which usually starts six hours to seven days after eating the bacteria.

Those with weakened immune systems may need to be hospitalized, according to the CDC.