Recalled hot sauce products risk ‘life-threatening allergic reaction,’ CDC warns

Here’s some not-so-hot news for fans of hot sauce.

The Food and Drug Administration announced a voluntary recall on Tuesday for hot sauce products from Vesta Fiery Gourmet Foods, Inc., of Raleigh, North Carolina, due to “undeclared wheat.”

On Jan. 4, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services notified the company that the label does not state the flour used is wheat flour.

While no illnesses have been reported to date, “people who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products,” the company announcement read.

The exact products being recalled include:

• Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauce Ghost 1.5oz glass jar UPC 7 94571 99498 0
• Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauce Hot 1.5oz glass jar UPC 7 94571 99497 3
• Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauce Reaper 1.5oz glass jar UPC 7 94571 99490 4
• Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauce Scorpion 1.5oz glass jar UPC 7 94571 99491 1
• Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauce Very Hot 1.5oz glass jar UPC 7 94571 99499 7

The affected lot numbers and expiration dates are: FX001500 (expiration date 09/2024) and FX001582 (expiration date 09/2024) NDC 0078-0110-22.

The products were only distributed in the U.S. and were sold in glass bottles online, in retail stores or in deli cases.

The alert advises those who have purchased the recalled items not to consume them and/or to throw them out.