Hot dog hazards: Why proper preparation is crucial for safety
Hot dogs are often in our fridge because they work well for a quick breakfast or dinner. However, it's worth checking the ingredients of the sausages and preparing them properly. An expert explains why it’s better not to eat them cold.
All hot dogs look similar, and their packaging doesn't differ much either. However, when it comes to the ingredients of these sausages, the differences can be significant. On store shelves, you can find high-quality products consisting mainly of meat and spices, but also those full of chemical additives and preservatives. Therefore, before you buy hot dogs, read their ingredients on the label.
How to choose hot dogs? Look for this on the label
An important indicator is the price. Good quality products are not the cheapest. A low price usually goes hand in hand with poor ingredients. Hot dogs should contain mainly meat, at least 90%. It’s better to avoid products that contain mechanically separated meat (MSM), preservatives, and artificial flavour enhancers. The shorter the list of ingredients, the better. Such hot dogs will be tastier and healthier.
Important! Even if you choose hot dogs with good ingredients, they are still a highly processed product. Therefore, it’s better to eat them occasionally; they shouldn't be a permanent part of the diet.
Can you eat cold hot dogs?
Proper preparation of hot dogs is also very important. It seems extremely simple. Many people even think there's no need to heat them; just take them out of the package and remove the foil. However, nutrition experts strongly advise against this approach.
— Better not do it. The FDA, the American Food and Drug Administration, advises against eating hot dogs without prior heating. Hot dogs may be contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, which causes a disease called listeriosis — warns clinical nutritionist Anna Jedrej in one of her posts on social media.
In the comments under the nutritionist’s post, a discussion heated up. Some emphasized that referencing American standards does not have much relevance to Canadian food regulations. However, Jedrej was firm on this matter — she doesn’t recommend eating hot dogs to anyone.
Why is it better to heat up hot dogs?
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that naturally occurs in the environment, including in soil and water. It can also be found in the gastrointestinal tract of animals. It contaminates food, mainly meat products such as hot dogs, pâtés, or sausages.
And that is why the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends heating up hot dogs. This should especially be done by people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and the elderly, as they are more at risk of developing listeriosis. For them, the disease may have a more severe course.
