Chilli sauce recalled over fears bottles may explode

A POPULAR hot chilli sauce sold in Britain and around the world is being recalled because of fears that the bottles will explode.

Food safety experts say a problem with the ingredients in the highly potent sauce means spatter from the bottle could irritate or damage eyes or skin.

Food authorities from Ireland to Australia have raised the alarm over Sriracha hot chilli sauce, which is made by huy Fong Foods in California. The problem relates to the build-up of lactic acid inside some bottles, which carry the phrase Tuong Ot Sriracha on the front above an image of a cockerel, left.

The plastic bottles of sauce have a long shelf life and a best before date of March 2021 and are likely to be sitting in many kitchen cupboards. The alarm was first raised last month by a consumer in Ireland, since when food authorities across the world have announced recalls, most recently in new South Wales.

The product is known to have been distributed in the UK, the US, Australia and across europe.

People who bought the sauce are advised not to consume it and to return the bottle to the point of sale for a refund or destroy it. Amazon removed products from the suspect batch and bottle size earlier this month.