The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered a recall of several batches of Texas Pete hot sauce due to the potential presence of allergens that may pose a life-threatening risk to consumers.
Which Texas Pete hot sauce was recalled?
The recalled batches are as follows:
- 12-ounce bottle of Texas Pete Habanero Buffalo Sauce, with UPC 0 75500 10028 4 and an expiration date of November 7, 2025.
- 2-ounce bottle of Texas Pete Habanero Buffalo Sauce, with UPC 0 75500 28125 9 and a “best by” date of December 5, 2025.
- 20-ounce bottle of Texas Pete Sweet CHAbanero Sweet Sriracha Habanero Sauce, with UPC 0 75500 00530 5 and a “best by” date of August 2, 2027.
- 2-ounce bottle of Texas Pete Sweet CHAbanero Sweet Sriracha Habanero Sauce, with UPC 0 75500 53125 5 and a “best by” date of August 26, 2027.
- 2-ounce bottle of Texas Pete Sweet CHAbanero Sweet Sriracha Habanero Sauce, with UPC 0 75500 53125 5 and a “best by” date of September 4, 2027.
- Half-gallon bottle of Texas Pete Sweet CHAbanero Sriracha Habanero Sauce, with UPC 0 75500 00536 7 and a “best by” date of July 23, 2027.
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Why was Texas Pete hot sauce recalled?
According to the FDA, the bottles of Texas Pete hot sauce were mis-labeled and did not disclose that they may contain sulfites, compounds derived from sulfur used as antioxidants and preservatives in food and beverages, which can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
“The Sriracha sauce contains sulfites that are not declared on the label. People who are allergic or severely sensitive to sulfites run the risk of having a severe or potentially fatal allergic reaction if they consume these products,” stated TW Garner Food Company, the parent company of Texas Pete, based in North Carolina.
Where was the recalled Texas Pete hot sauce sold?
The affected sauces were sold between February 5, 2025, and March 26, 2025, in retail stores across the following U.S. states:
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
- North Carolina
- New Jersey
- Ohio
- Virginia
- Vermont
What should I do if I bought the recalled Texas Pete hot sauce?
The company reported that no illnesses have been reported in connection with these products so far; however, they are asking consumers who still have these sauces to discard them immediately or return them to the store for a full refund. Customers can also contact the company at (336) 231-6417, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time, or email [email protected].
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History of Texas Pete
In 1929, during the early years of the Great Depression, Sam Garner and his wife Ila Jane, affectionately known as “Mama Jane,” were struggling to make ends meet while raising their seven children. The eldest, Paul, had already left home to attend Duke University, while his brother Thad decided to use the money set aside for his education to buy a local barbecue restaurant. Along with the restaurant came a secret recipe for an exceptional barbecue sauce.
Although the restaurant did not survive, the barbecue sauce, made in the family kitchen, endured and thrived. Soon, the entire family was involved in producing the sauce, helping to keep the business afloat during tough times. Sam began traveling the backroads of North Carolina selling his sauce, while Thad, along with his younger brothers Ralph and Harold, and their mother Jane, along with sisters Virginia, Elizabeth, and even young Margaret, all pitched in to help in the kitchen. Over time, the three sisters graduated, pursued further studies, and advanced in their careers or marriages.
Sam, Thad, Ralph, and Harold continued in the food business, forming a partnership that in 1946 became TW Garner Food Company, the name the company goes by today. Over the years, the “four Garners,” as they were known, created a variety of products, including jams, jellies, horseradish, and other food items.
Additionally, they developed several products under the Texas Pete brand to complement their famous hot sauce, such as chili for hot dogs, honey mustard, seafood cocktail sauce, green pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and buffalo wing sauce.
Today, the company continues to thrive as third and fourth-generation members of the Garner family carry on the legacy of their predecessors. The current factory, built in 1942 and expanded numerous times, is still located on the original Garner family property in northwest Winston-Salem.
