Monroe Hot Sauce Company Refuses Recall Amid Botulism Risk: State

MONROE, CT — Connecticut officials are warning consumers not to eat hot sauces made by a Monroe company that the state says has refused to recall its products amid concerns about a potential botulism risk.

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection issued a cease-and-desist order to Phire in the Hole of Monroe following complaints from several local health departments, state officials announced Friday.

The products were distributed in Connecticut through Beardsley's Cider Mill & Orchard in Shelton from November 2025 through Aug. 17, 2026, state officials said. DCP said it is unclear whether the products were distributed elsewhere.

Products still available for sale at Beardsley's were embargoed by the state's Food and Standards Division.

DCP said the company's hot sauces were manufactured without an approved process or required license. Improperly processing acidified or low-acid canned foods such as hot sauce can result in the formation of Clostridium botulinum toxin, which causes botulism.

The company has declined to voluntarily recall its products and has not responded to the state's cease-and-desist order, according to DCP.

No illnesses have been reported.

The warning covers 5-ounce bottles sold under several names: P.I.T.H BBQ, VK Vamps Kryptonite, Lemon Pucker Punch, The Hawaiian Ghost, Boo Bee Q and Reaper Creeper.

It also includes the "Box of Phire," a four-product variety pack containing Reaper Creeper, Lemon Pucker Punch, VK Vamps Kryptonite and PH3. The products do not have UPC numbers or product codes, according to DCP.

Botulism is a potentially fatal form of food poisoning. Symptoms can include weakness, dizziness, double vision, difficulty speaking or swallowing, trouble breathing, abdominal distension and constipation.

State officials said anyone experiencing those symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.

Consumers with questions can contact DCP's Food, Standards and Product Safety Division at DCP.FoodandStandards@ct.gov.