LIL’ BUDDY’S BLOG – Should Chicago-Style Hot Dogs Carry a Warning Label?
LIL’ BUDDY’S BLOG – Should Chicago-Style Hot Dogs Carry a Warning Label?
THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG!
Hey . . . you like Hot Dogs? I mean Chicago-Style Hot Dogs – yellow mustard pickle spear chopped onions bright green relish chopped onions perhaps a sport pepper or two?
Feeling frisky? Add a little lettuce tomatoes cukes and celery salt! That’s the Chicago Way you know!
But never never never any ketchup! Heck no! Wooooooooooof!
I’d eat hot dogs all day if I could. Every day – but I know I would eventually pay a price for that if you know what I mean!
I couldn’t believe what I read in the Chicago Tribune the other day however.
In an article by Reporter Jerry Hirsch it seems the non-profit group Cancer Project of New Jersey has filed a lawsuit on behalf of three plaintiffs in that state asking the Essex County NJ Superior Court to compel manufacturers of hot dogs to place Cancer Risk Warning Labels on all packages of wieners sold statewide.
The defendants in the lawsuit include Nathan’s Famous Oscar Mayer (owned by Chicago-based Kraft Foods) Sara Lee Corporation and ConAgra Foods (which owns the Hebrew National brand). No Chicago’s Famous Vienna Beef brand is not included in the suit – I guess the non-profit don’t think we’re important enough in New Jersey!
The President of Cancer Project Neil Barnard compares the cancer-causing effects of nitrate-containing hot dogs to those of cigarettes. To paraphrase tobacco could cause lung cancer processed meats such as hot dogs could cause often-fatal colorectal cancer. He contends hot dog manufacturers know of the danger.
But a warning label on hot dogs? C’mon you dogs!
Each year American Humans spend $3.4 Billion buying 730 Million Packages of hot dogs and similar sausages in supermarkets across the U.S. last year according to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council. It is unknown how many of those purchased wieners eventually find their way into canine food dishes across North America each year.
And yes – there could be cancer risk! A study by The American Institute for Cancer Research cited in the Cancer Project Lawsuit noted that one 50-gram serving of processed meat or about the amount of meat in a medium-sized hot dog could increase the risk of colorectal cancer by 21% if you consume one hot dog daily over the course of a lifetime.
There are other medical studies that link ingestion of red meat to increased risk of cancer but it is not clear whether the risk increases due to the nitrates in the hot dogs or other factors such as high content of fat.
Although the group that brought the lawsuit advocates strong on-package warnings others feel that one more food warning label on a popular food would not be noticed. Michael Jacobson Executive Director of the Center of Science for the Public Interest said the overuse of warnings can lead to what he calls "warning fatigue" – consumers just don’t notice them anymore!
And around Chicago my home town – most would simply scoff at that suggestion!
Have a great weekend you dogs!
YOUR ACE REPORTER ON FOUR PAWS
BUDDY HOLLY MOSS & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO
