Judge orders California Sriracha plant to partially shut down

Nov. 27 (UPI) -- A Sriracha hot sauce plant in Irwindale, Calif., will have to chill out for a bit after a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered that Huy Fong Foods partially shut down portions of the plant that could be causing the odors.

Judge Robert O'Brien’s ruling does not order the company to completely cease operations, so fans of the spicy red sauce don’t have to worry about going without.

The city of Irwindale originally sued Huy Fong Foods in late October after residents who live near the plant began complaining about ailments including asthma, heartburn and nose bleeds.

Though O'Brien said there was a "lack of credible evidence" showing that odors from the sauce caused the health problems, he did say the smell appears to be "extremely annoying, irritating and offensive to the senses warranting consideration as a public nuisance.”

O'Brien said that Irwindale was "likely to prevail" in a trial about having the offensive odor declared a public nuisance.

Irwindale Chamber of Commerce president Lisa Bailey toured the plant back in October. “I didn’t have any adverse reaction while I was there,” Bailey said at the time. “No burning eyes, no throat constriction, and I’ve had that while cooking chiles at home. My husband pretty much uses it like ketchup. I use it mostly on tacos and stuff of that nature. We use it almost daily.”

[NBC 4]