What if hot dogs were

Unopened, they can last up to two weeks stored in the fridge, but once opened, should be consumed within a week. Hot dogs also provide a perfect environment for the growth of a bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes which can cause serious illness.

If your hot dogs come packaged with a use-by date, the USDA recommends sticking to that date. A best-by date, on the other hand, is a more general guideline, and hot dogs can stay good for up to two weeks beyond that date if stored correctly.

Regardless is the hotdogs are comprised of pork, chicken, beef or blended meat products, they all have the same shelf life. Meats used in hot dogs come from the muscle of the animal and looks much like what you buy in the grocer's case. Other ingredients include water, curing agents and spices, such as garlic, salt, sugar, ground mustard, nutmeg, coriander and white pepper.

If variety meats such as liver and hearts are used in processed meats, the U. Department of Agriculture requires the manufacturer to declare those ingredients on the package with the statement "with variety meats" or "with meat by-products.

In the U. Frequently Asked Questions about Hot Dogs. Why are there typically 10 hot dogs per pack and eight buns per bag?

Why are hot dogs and baseball linked? And while we're on the subject of street carts, just how many hot dogs are sold on the Fourth of July at street carts in New York City? How many hot dogs do Americans eat each year and where do they eat them? What exactly is in a hot dog? Get it as a brochure. For extra flavor and deliciousness, save the calorie counting for another day and break out the butter for a beautiful texture, taste and look.

Aly Walansky is a New York City-based food and lifestyle writer with nearly two decades of writing experience for various digital publications. She's focused on the latest in dining trends and budget meal-planning tips. IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Share this —. Follow today. More Brands. How to make a classic ballpark hot dog at home July 7, By Aly Walansky. Get The Recipe. Nina Compton. We love our hot dogs, but how much do we really know about them? Put plainly, frankfurters are made entirely of pork, and weiners are a mix of beef and pork.

Do Hot Dogs Go Bad? The only two ways to store hot dogs is either to freeze or refrigerate them. Hot dogs are one of the foods that the bacteria listeria monocytogenes favors. They can grow on refrigerated weiners, but they invade those left at room temperature faster. Here are some ways to tell if hot dogs are no longer usable: Do you notice that the outer covering of the hot dog has a slimy feel? Stale hot dogs also tend to change color. At their freshest, they have a reddish hue.