The state’s Department of Consumer Protection has issued a cease-and-desist order to a local hot sauce maker to remove its products from the market for allegedly manufacturing them without an approved process or required license, officials said.
Phire in the Hole, a hot sauce manufacturer in Monroe, has been directed by state officials to voluntarily remove its hot sauce products from the market, following complaints from several local health departments.
The products were allegedly manufactured without an approved process or required license, officials said. Failure to appropriately process acidified or low-acid canned foods, such as hot sauces, can result in clostridium botulinum toxin formation, commonly known as botulism.
State officials say the business has allegedly declined to recall its products and has not responded to the department’s cease-and-desist order.
The products were distributed in Connecticut through Beardsley’s Cider Mill & Orchard in Shelton from November 2025 through Aug. 17, 2026. Officials say it is unclear if the product was distributed anywhere else. Products available for sale at Beardsley’s Cider Mill were embargoed by officials with DCP’s food and standard’s division.
Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause weakness, dizziness, double-vision, trouble with speaking or swallowing, difficulty in breathing, abdominal distension, and constipation. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.
Recalled products are packaged in 5 oz bottles that include P.I.T.H BBQ, VK Vamps Kryptonite, Lemon Pucker Punch, The Hawaiian Ghost, Boo Bee Q, Reaper Creeper, and Box of Phire – containing 4 product varieties: Reaper Creeper, Lemon Pucker Punch, VK Vamps Kryptonite, and PH3, according to officials.
There is no UPC number or product code on these products. No illnesses have been reported to date.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com
