Before you start bragging to your friends about how you got the last package of Organic Purified Nitrate-Free Low Sodium Fair Trade Meat-That-Holds-A-PhD-In-International-Relations hot dogs at the bodega for the 4th, your cookout bonafides may just be a bunch of bull. Hot dog manufacturers are claiming that the USDA's rules for hot dog packaging that disclose whether or not the dogs contain nitrate or nitrite—preservatives that have been linked to colorectal cancer—are confusing and downright deceptive. Does this mean new gross labels for hot dogs too?
The Times reports that the USDA requires hot dog products that contain the preservatives naturally through celery powder or other means to carry a label that says "Uncured" and "No nitrates or nitrites added," despite the fact that they may have up to "10 times the amount of nitrite" of conventional hot dogs. 50,000 people in the US die each year of colorectal cancer, and a study conducted in 2007 said that eating a hot dog every day can increase your chances of getting colorectal cancer by 21 percent.
The president of hot dog-maker Applegate Farms tells the paper that they're pushing for clearer labeling because "labels should help consumers make informed decisions and we are open to reviewing additional information to enhance accuracy in labeling." Considering that just a few decades ago hot dogs were just plain bad news, this is progress! Moderation is key people (just not on Monday at Coney Island), so try not to overdo it on the dogs, except for the ones with cheese inside them: we also have it on good authority that they improve your eyesight.
