A pink sauce has gone viral on TikTok and sparked a backlash.
(Picture: Getty Images)A mysterious pink sauce has gone viral on TikTok– its creator is facing a backlash as consumers question the condiment’s ingredients and food safety.
Currently being sold online with the tagline “the infamous dipping sauce that everyone is talking about,” the pink sauce was created by Carly Pii, who goes by @chef.pii.
The Miami-based chef and content creator has amassed millions of views for her pink sauce videos, but it’s going viral for all the wrong reasons.
But what is the pink sauce and what is the problem with it?
What is the TikTok pink sauce?
The so-called pink sauce is a condiment, but it is unclear what kind. Its creator claims that the sauce gets its distinctive pink colour from dragonfruit, while the other ingredients include sunflower seed oil, honey, chilli, and garlic.
what kiIIs me abt the pink sauce stuff is that it literally looks disgusting
— cindy ✯ (@RUNYOMONEY) July 21, 2022
Consumers can currently buy the pink sauce online for $20, directly from the creator, but it’s not sold in stores yet as it is still “currently in lab testing.”
TikTok users who have tried the sauce have described it as tasting like ranch dressing, but “sweeter” and “oilier.”
Why has the pink sauce sparked a backlash?
People have taken issue with the pink sauce for a number of reasons–a major one being that the shade of pink tends to vary from bottle to bottle.
Critics have also claimed that the sauce is simply ranch dressing with pink food colouring.
The labels featured misspelt ingredients and people were not convinced that the nutrition information was accurate. The creator later apologised and said that while the bottle said it contained “444 servings,” it actually contained 444g and 30 servings.
i cannot stop looking into the pink sauce on tiktok... like i'm SO obsessed that she just completely mislabeled the nutritional information so it would have angel numbers
— nick (@toxnik) July 20, 2022
The lack of expiration date also sparked concerns, and people have doubts about its ingredients.
People have also raised concerns about the creator’s food safety protocols and shipping practices–while the bottle says it needs to be refrigerated, TikTok users claim the bottles are not refrigerated during shipping.
And critics have highlighted that the creator has shared videos of her making the sauce without wearing gloves or a hair net.
I'm deep in this "pink sauce" business and I cannot believe you children are buying sauce with no preservatives from a woman in Miami and shipping it across state lines during this record breaking weather. Y'all know we don't have free healthcare 😭
— Your Grace ✨ (@Sancityx) July 21, 2022
On July 21, Carly apologised for the mistakes and said that they would be replacing the label with accurate information and spellings. She also said they are trying to reduce the price, but that the ingredients “are not cheap.”
She said: “My apologies, my apologies, my apologies, I’m only human, I’m not perfect.”
Carly said people who bought the bottles would receive a “gift and a thank you note.”
And while Carly said they are following Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards, they are still in lab testing.
