The other day while preparing some food for consumption in my kitchen one of the pictured items attacked me without notice nearly incapacitating me for several minutes. Was it the family chihuahua or was it the giant bottle of Sriracha sauce?

Today’s post is more of a public service announcement more than anything. First off, you don’t need to refrigerate hot sauce, though it may have a benefit of being “flavor enhanced” if you do. Like most good Americans, I refrigerate all of my condiments whether they need it or not… and that is where my problem started.

After being removed from the fridge and sitting on the kitchen counter for several minutes the actual sauce had warmed up to room temperature. This addition of heat allowed pressure to build up in the hot sauce bottle which proceeded to squirt me in the eye upon opening. Initially, I was more worried about having condiment all over my shirt and face until coming to the realization that it was indeed hot sauce with capsaicin… the main ingredient in pepper spray. After having rather intense pain in my eye for several minutes it slowly went away.

Lesson Learned:

Point your squeeze bottle hot sauces away from your face and possibly toward others when opening so nothing unfortunate happens to you.