Toxic Traders: How Hot Dogs Are Made to Appear Glamorous

Similar to the way Janice Dickinson heaps on Kabuki mask amounts of makeup before she leaves the house, the average hot dog also spends plenty of time getting painted and injected before it goes out to face its adoring fans. Sodium nitrite, the Maybelline of food additives, is often added to processed meats such as hotdogs, bacon, bologna, salami and SPAM in order to make them look camera-ready before they arrive on store shelves.  Without nitrates, these meats would appear unappealingly drab, gray and unappetizing and would likely end up on one of those Celebrities Without Makeup features on the cover of Star Magazine. We want our hot dogs to be pretty, plump and pink.

While nitrites are needed to cure the meat and keep it safe from forming botulism, sodium nitrite is a sworn enemy to many nutritionists because of claims it causes cancer. Like many controversial food additives, its safety is often a subject of ongoing debate. Some even claim it's actually good for your health. Although sodium nitrite is natural and is also found in vegetables, it forms nitrosamines when cooked over high heat - and that's supposedly where the cancer danger lurks. Since pretty much everything causes cancer these days, not many people are willing to let a little brouhaha stand between them and their delicious bacon-wrapped hot dogs, but if you're concerned, you might be able to minimize the damage by adding antioxidant-rich foods to your meal. They'll tackle the carcinogens while you enjoy your luscious Wiener Tiara Bake.  Illustration by Bob Lizarraga.

Comments

[GHD Straightener Outlet]

Consumers own murdered oneself, during considerable battles together with guerilla decisions, for numerous many years, but still murder oneself in the present, about Ideologies together with Religions which unfortunately, claimed mainly because propositions, seem to be neither of the two a fact neither wrong that will fashionable logicians-- worthless propositions the fact that appearance thoughtful into the linguistically naive.

[Red]

I love hotdogs. Hebrew National is my standard. I don't care, I love them. Sometimes you have to have a good 'time dog' as well. 'Time dogs' are what you buy from the quickie mart. They are called so because you don't know how long they've been there on the rollers, yet they always look brand new.

[Claire]

As stated, nitrites combined with protein can form nitrosamines in the gut, which have been shown to be a carcinogen, however you can prevent this formation by eating some Vitamin C with your processed meat.

[Mockazine]

Miscellaneous left-over body parts ground up and stuffed into intestines -- what's not to love?

Maybe the phallic appearance, or perhaps because it is stuck between buns before you eat it, I just don't do hot dogs.

[The Mave]

"Ummmmmm Ummph! Pass dem' Nathan's weennies n' dat-dere Grey Pou-pon, Aunt Bea, 'cause dem's some sho' nuff gooooood eatin's!"

BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!

On second thought, pass dat Pepto-Bismol instead!

"Dang!"

[Jackie Jackie]

Ok but even if naturally occurring sodium nitrite is good for you, that does not mean that lab-created sodium nitrite is. Naturally occurring citric acid is fine for my son, but lab-created citric acid makes him barf! There is a difference!

[curtis]

I'm with you 14 on the 'unusual nature' of hot dogs... who really knows what's in them or where they came from. For me, the only thing that makes them palatable is the addition of condiments.

[Vern]

Even though I'm getting...ahem...OLDER, I still can't bring myself to appreciate GRAY MEAT!

[Lance Von T]

I like B. Lizarraga's artwork. The crispness in the form is really cool.

[14]

Sweet..

The nitrite thing could be pure speculation and disinfo, so don't give up the meat just yet. Once I bit into a hot dog and there was some sort of rubbery tube (an artery?) sticking out of it. NEVER did I eat a hot dog again. It's not so much the nitrates that bother me, it's the fact they're so darn mysterious and shady.

xoxo
14

[Frozenredhead]

Nutritionist = quack con artist with $60 diploma mill degree.

Dietitian = accredited professional with Masters of Nursing degree from accredited university.

Never trust a "nutritionist".

[sweet subversion]

I swear this makes me want to become a vegetarian again. This shit is nasty!