Pink Sauce

Pink Sauce is a pink dipping sauce created by TikTok user Veronica Shaw, better known by her screen name, Chef Pii.[3][4] The sauce went viral on TikTok in the summer of 2022, with the hashtag #pinksauce gaining over 680 million views. The product gained notoriety over food safety and labeling concerns.

"The Pink Sauce" redirects here. For other uses, see Pink sauce.

Pink Sauce
Logo for the Pink Sauce
TypeCondiment
Place of originUnited States
Region or stateMiami, Florida[1]
Created byVeronica Shaw[2]
Invented2022

History

Chef Pii revealed the Pink Sauce in a TikTok video on June 11, 2022, and subsequently began fulfilling orders for the sauce.[3][2] Customers noticed inconsistencies in the ingredient list, with many raising concerns that the sauce may cause botulism. TikTok users also pointed out that the sauce was not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.[5]

The product was revised for safety purposes and went back on sale on July 1, 2022.[6] It sold out sometime around August 3, 2022.[7] Chef Pii planned to mass-produce the sauce in the fall of 2022.[8]

On January 11, 2023, following a reformulation of the recipe and packaging redesign to adhere to Food and Drug Administration regulations, Pink Sauce was made available in 4,000 Walmart locations across the United States.[9][10][11]

Controversy

The sauce garnered controversy due to food safety and labeling concerns. Customers noted that the sauce's color varied between batches,[12][13][14] the product was poorly packaged,[15] and that the sauce contained milk which, when packaged in a bag, could be infected by botulism.[16] There were also discrepancies between the amount of sauce in the bottle and the amount specified on the label,[1] and allegations that the sauce contained ingredients which were not included on the label (such as mayonnaise).[15]

Some consumers experienced food poisoning and were hospitalized.[17] Others reported that the product smelled and appeared rotten.[18] One TikTok user faked their death after consuming Pink Sauce as a "social experiment to see how quickly other people could spread misinformation".[19]

On August 21, 2022, YouTuber MatPat made a video about the Pink Sauce on the "Food Theorists" YouTube channel, claiming the ingredients list was unrealistic and that the portions listed on the label were inaccurate. He recommended not consuming the sauce due to potential health risks.[20]

Response from Chef Pii

Chef Pii claimed that she had never weighed the product, so the discrepancy between the amount of sauce indicated on the label and the amount actually in the bottle was due to guesswork.[21] When asked whether her product was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, she stated that her product is not a "medical product", causing further backlash from commenters who pointed out that the Food and Drug Administration is responsible for regulating food.[22]

In October 2022, Chef Pii appeared on Karamo Brown's talk show, Karamo, to address the controversies surrounding her sauce. She appeared alongside fellow TikTok user Alle Brean, a critic of the sauce who had sent a sample to a lab for testing. While the mistake in labeling was acknowledged, Chef Pii did not address concerns over the shipment of perishable ingredients. Chef Pii criticized Brean for her commentary on the sauce, and accused Brean of "fabricating" claims about her product to "tear down [Chef Pii's] business and livelihood".[23] The results of Brean's commissioned lab test were never presented during the segment.[24] Chef Pii's response on the show was met with backlash and the episode was deleted.[25] Chef Pii later apologized to Brean through a private message on TikTok. In August 2023, Shaw claimed that she was sabotaged and broke, and started a GoFundMe page to raise $100,000.[26][27]

FDA approval

"The F, f'ing, DA, federal, came to my business yesterday. I am 100% compliant, I'm abiding with the FDA...I'm not in trouble. I'm not going to jail. Nobody can accuse the Pink Sauce of anything going forward."

Chef Pii[22]

On August 2, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration opened an investigation into the Pink Sauce.[28] Chef Pii collaborated with Dave's Gourmet to address concerns surrounding the recipe and packaging. The reformulated product received approval by the Food and Drug Administration and was made available in Walmart stores in January 2023.[4]

GoFundMe Page

On August 16, 2023, Chef Pii made a GoFundMe page alleging that Dave's Gourmet did not pay her royalties for The Pink Sauce and that she is financially struggling, living off twenty dollars a day. As a result, she started a crowdfunding page with a goal of $100,000 in order to get money to take care of her kids. Dave's Gourmet claims that they have only been paying her what is on the contract, that being so far $120,000. She says she is also facing eviction from her apartment.[29] Currently her GoFundMe is at $25,454 out of the $100,000 required. On August 28, 2023, the page received backlash after it was discovered that Chef Pii had been untruthful about her current situation at the time.

References
  1. Spurs, Terrian; Williams, Austin (July 29, 2022). "TikTok pink sauce: Why is everyone freaking out about this controversial condiment?". q13fox.com.
  2. Lustig, Hanna (September 16, 2022). "Before You Eat the TikTok-Famous Pink Sauce, Read This". Glamour. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  3. Lamour, Joseph (July 21, 2022). "What is 'pink sauce'? A Pepto-colored condiment is turning heads (And stomachs) on TikTok". Today.
  4. "The Viral Pink Sauce Has Been FDA Approved And Is Now On Walmart Shelves". Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  5. Waiwiri-Smith, Lyric (August 1, 2022). "Private jet bust-ups and pink sauce botulism: The week that was in pop culture". Stuff.
  6. Durieux, Jeanne (July 28, 2022). "What is this "pink sauce" that is causing the buzz on social networks?". Ouest France.
  7. Sabovic, Sanela (August 3, 2022). "Miami chef making Pink Sauce goes viral, product sold out". Local 10.
  8. Rocha, Polly Anna (August 17, 2022). "TikTok's Notorious Pink Sauce Extends Shelf Life". Eater Dallas.
  9. "Viral TikTok 'pink sauce' is now available at Walmart". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  10. Kayembe, Astrid (January 12, 2023). "FDA approved? Viral Pink Sauce hits Walmart shelves. Here's where to find it in SoCal". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  11. "The TikTok-Famous Pink Sauce—That Needed FDA Approval—Is Finally Being Sold at Walmart". January 17, 2023.
  12. "Viral Pink Sauce Comes With Lengthy Terms and Conditions". Vice. August 28, 2022.
  13. Williams, Ebony (July 31, 2022). "What is PINK Sauce and why is it all over TikTok?". roanoke.com.
  14. Gault, Matthew (August 1, 2022). "Why TikTok is Obsessed with Pink Sauce". Vice.
  15. Heil, Emily (July 21, 2022). "TikTok's Pink Sauce chef defends her viral condiment". The Washington Post.
  16. Lee, Bruce Y. (July 24, 2022). "'Pink Sauce' Goes Viral on TikTok, Here Are the Concerns with This Condiment". Forbes.
  17. Bissi, Alexandre Verdu (August 1, 2022). "La " Pink Sauce ", la sauce qui fait fureur et… qui conduit à l'hôpital" [The “Pink Sauce”, the sauce that is all the rage and… that leads to the hospital]. Cerfia (in French).
  18. Stevens, Ashlie D. (July 22, 2022). "Will someone please just tell me what the heck is "Pink Sauce"?". Salon. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  19. Jordan, Atiya (July 29, 2022). "Chef Pii Speaks Out Against 'Poisoning' People With Her Pink Sauce". Black Enterprise. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  20. Patrick, Matthew (August 21, 2022). "Food Theory: The Pink Sauce Mystery SOLVED (TikTok)". YouTube.
  21. Miller, Korin (July 26, 2022). "Why TikTok's 'Pink Sauce' Has Some Food Safety Experts Very Worried". Health.
  22. Harling, Danielle (July 29, 2022). "The Pink Sauce Drama Continues: "They accused me of poisoning the nation."". Delish.com.
  23. Marwah, Srishti (October 15, 2022). ""Most infuriating thing I've ever watched": Interview with Pink Sauce creator Chef Pii deleted after it receives severe backlash online". Sportskeeda. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  24. Pink Sauce Lady Embarrassed Herself. YouTube. penguinz0. October 13, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  25. Marwah, Srishti. ""Most infuriating thing I've ever watched": Interview with Pink Sauce creator Chef Pii deleted after it receives severe backlash online". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  26. Velasquez, Angelina (August 21, 2023). "'I Don't Even Have Enough Money To Buy My Kids Food': Viral Pink Sauce Creator Reportedly Broke and Facing Eviction, Claims She's Being 'Financially Sabotaged' By Former Manufacturers". Yahoo News. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  27. Weiss, Geoff (August 24, 2023). "The Pink Sauce creator says she's broke after being 'financially sabotaged' by business partner Dave's Gourmet. The company says it's paid the viral chef $120,000". Business Insider. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  28. Struble, Cristine (August 2, 2022). "Why The FDA Has Just Stepped Into The Viral Pink Sauce Drama". Mashed.
  29. Weiss, Geoff. "The Pink Sauce creator says she's broke after being 'financially sabotaged' by business partner Dave's Gourmet. The company says it's paid the viral chef $120,000". Insider.
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