Judge Rules To Halt Sriracha Odors At Plant

A judge has ruled to halt some production of Sriracha, the uber popular hot sauce with a rooster as its logo.

Previously, the citizens of Irwindale, Calif., lost a hearing with Judge Robert H. O'Brien, when the city residents asked that the factory be shut down, claiming the Sriracha facilities were creating pungent fumes that were a "public nuisance." "You're asking for a very radical order on 24-hour notice," O'Brien said.

Turns out, however, O'Brien may have had a change of heart. Last night the Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered Huy Fong Foods, the maker of Sriracha, to halt operations that could be causing the odors. The LA Times reports that the company doesn't have to halt all production, just mitigate the specific actions that are creating fumes.

Huy Fong Foods has not returned any calls for statements, but in the past it argued that there was no reason to close the plant, since harvest season for their hot peppers has passed, and the company only grinds the peppers for three months out of the year. And while O'Brien notes that there is a "lack of credible evidence" that links the smell to health problems, he found that it was "extremely annoying, irritating, and offensive to the senses, warranting consideration as a public nuisance." Tell that to the hordes of spice lovers who are clamoring to stock up on Sriracha now.