Sriracha hot sauce is burning much more than just people’s mouths in California. Many people might think sriracha is delicious, but it doesn’t mean they want to smell it 24/7. According to the Associated Press, Huy Fong Foods, the maker of sriracha hot sauce is being sued by a Southern California city for allegedly fouling the air.

The city of Irwindale is putting the sriracha-maker under fire by filing a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, asking a judge to halt the company from production. The lawsuit claimed the chili odor that emanates from the building is a public nuisance.

Irwindale City Attorney Fred Galante told the Los Angeles Times Huy Fong originally cooperated with the city, but that only lasted for a few weeks. It wasn’t long before the company’s reps denied a problem issue with the smell and said their employees worked in the factory without a problem. “Given how long it’s going on, we had no choice but to institute this action,” Galante said.

Residents, however, said they have suffered from irritated throats, headaches, burning eyes and have even had to leave their homes to escape the strong chili stench that invades their property. According to the AP, one family even had to move an outdoor party inside because the overwhelming odor began to overpower the party.

"If they fix it and the odor problems stop, we don't need this order; but so far the odor complaints continue," Galante said, adding that 30 residents filed or signed complaints to the city about the smell. The lawyer said a judge will make a decision on Thursday.

Chinatown Vietnamese immigrant David Tran invented Huy Fong Foods’ Sriracha sauce. All the chili needed to make a year’s worth of sauce is harvested and stored within three months, which can begin as early as September and will usually end in the beginning or middle of December, the Los Angeles Times wrote.

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