The California Department of Public Health has instructed the company that manufactures Sriracha hot sauce to delay their shipments of the spicy concoction for 30 days post-production.
Huy Fong Foods cannot ship out their signature red sauce, along with two other condiments, until January 2014 due to a new policy, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The restrictions call for Huy Fong's Sriracha, Chili Garlic and Sambal Oelek sauces to be held for 30 days before they're sent to wholesale food companies, since the ingredients for each of the condiments must be mixed fresh, not cooked. This, the Department of Health states, necessitates heightened precautions - the 30-day holding period gives inspectors more time to make sure the sauce isn't poisoned by microorganisms while the bottles sit on the shelves.
The news comes just one month after residents of the southern California city of Irwindale took Huy Fong to court with claims that the noxious odors wafting from the nearby factory caused itchy eyes, sore throats and overall discomfort.
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge stated in November that Huy Fong had to stop all production that caused the harsh odors until officials could find a way to cancel out the smell.
Huy Fong reps said at the time that they would still be able to carry out production, since they'd already ground the chiles and only needed to combine and bottle the hot sauce, the LA Times reported.
But the company must now follow the Department of Health's orders, and will begin holding product this week. The sauce will reportedly return to its normal distribution schedule following the delay.
