Dec. 27 (UPI) — Food Standards Australia New Zealand announced Thursday it is recalling 17- and 28-ounce bottles of the trendy Sriracha Hot Chilli Sauce for fear a buildup of lactic acid could cause the bottles to bloat and splatter once opened.
The recall follows a similar recall of the Los Angeles-based hot sauce earlier this month from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
“The recall is due to lactic acid buildup causing certain bottles to ‘bloat’ and continue to ferment,” the statement on the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website said. “Product may splatter on to property or persons on opening. Do not open bottles that feel bloated and return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund.”
The product, nicknamed the “hipster tabasco,” was invented by Vietnamese refugee David Tran while living in the United States in 1980. The hot sauce is made from chilies, vinegar and garlic, based on a sauce originating in Thailand.
In the warning from the Food Safety Authority Ireland, officials said the bottle could explode when opened, posing “a risk of hot chili sauce irritating eyes or skin.”
Sriracha’s parent Huy Fong earlier this month acknowledged the issue with the hot sauce bottles and said it was working on resolving the problem.
“We would like to advise the public that the affected products do not pose a ‘food safety’ concern [absence of salmonella, e-coli, listeria],” the statement said.” Some products produced in March 2019, with the expiration of March 2021, may experience the bottle being bloated with pressure due to continued fermentation.”
In July, Huy Fong lost a $23.3 million lawsuit to a farmer in Ventura County civil court in California on fraud claims by misrepresenting and concealing information.
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