Learn about sausages and food safety from the USDA, with tips on buying, storing, and cooking this type of meat product. Sausages are sold either uncooked or ready-to-eat. This information will be clearly marked on the product package. Types of Sausages There are two broad categories of sausage: ready to eat and uncooked. Ready to eat sausages are dry, semi-dry, and/or cooked. Dry sausages can be smoked, unsmoked, or cooked. Semi-dry sausages are typically heated in the smokehouse to partially dry and fully cook the product. Cooked sausages, such as bologna and frankfurters, are cooked and may also be smoked. Uncooked sausages are raw and must be cooked to a safe final internal temperature before eating. Deciphering the Label The label on all sausage products will give you  the … [Read more...]

It's summer grilling time! With the Fourth of July holiday coming up, many people are going to be cooking burgers and sausages on the grill, including hot dogs. So what do you know about hot dogs and food safety? The USDA has some tips. Hot dogs, also known as frankfurters, are cooked or smoked sausages. According to federal regulations they must be made of comminuted semisolid products (reduced to minute particles) that are made of one or more kinds of animal muscle, including beef, pork, or poultry. Hot dogs may have a skin, or casing, or be skinless. The finished hot dog may not contain more than 30% fat or more than 10% water. Up to 3.5% non-meat binders and extenders can be added; those include cereal or nonfat or full fat dried milk or soy protein. While hot dogs are … [Read more...]