Much has been said about the dangers of sausages and frankfurters, but we still continue to buy them. It’s tasty and quick, you can cook dinner within five minutes if you put a sausage in a frying pan and throw ready-made noodles into a plate, prepared according to the “steaming with boiling water” principle. Is it possible to eat sausage raw? The question is, of course, interesting. But the answer depends on what product we are talking about. If it is a natural sausage that contains 60% pure meat with the addition of milk, butter and spices, then of course it is possible. This is a product that is completely ready to eat and is no different from boiled sausage. Although nutritionists advise using only heat-treated products for baby food.
Modern sausages
But we are not talking about the ideal option, but about what we encounter regularly, every day. Can you eat raw sausage from the supermarket? To answer this question, let's take a look at the composition. Instead of minced meat, it usually contains ground sinew and leather, soy and wheat protein, fiber and semolina, milk protein and starch, as well as a large amount of water, flavor enhancers and thickeners, flavorings and other “joys of life.” Meat makes up no more than 10%, and if we look at cheap sausages from cardboard packaging, then even that is not there. Agree, the question of whether it is possible to eat sausage raw can be asked in a different way. Is it worth eating at all?
Boiling = soaking
This is approximately what happens if we consider inexpensive products. During the boiling process, some of the dyes and salt pass into the water. The situation is similar with fat. Notice how the water looks after the sausages are cooked. It's very oily, salty and pink. That is, we can assume that the product has become somewhat “healthier”. Is it possible to eat raw sausage stuffed with so many additives - decide for yourself.
Deadlines
This is the production date and maximum shelf life, which can be found on the packaging. The shorter the specified period, the better. This means that the manufacturer did not put a huge amount of preservatives into the product. The same information allows you to understand whether raw sausages can be eaten. If the sausages were made literally yesterday, then there will be no harm. Provided that the composition suggests the presence of at least something useful. If you see that they were made a long time ago, then you definitely need to cook them, and longer.
Another point is connected with this. It's no secret that deadlines in modern stores and supermarkets are exceeded. Therefore, when speaking about whether it is possible to eat raw sausages, we would recommend being careful. You never know in advance what a modern seller is capable of in pursuit of profit.
Product color
And again, we suggest evaluating the products in the store so that you don’t feel bad about wasted money. Is it possible to eat raw sausages that are bright red or very dark in color and smell strongly of smoked meat? The clear answer is no, during cooking they will get rid of at least some of the dyes. But it is advisable to completely abandon such a product. Good sausages should be light pink, homogeneous, without an overly intrusive aroma of spices and especially smoked meats, which is a consequence of the addition of liquid smoke.
Structure of sausage mince
You can evaluate the sausage even before you put it in the water, or after removing it from the pan. A good product holds its shape perfectly, is dense and homogeneous, since it consists of at least half meat. Remember sausages and sausages from Soviet times? The skin did not burst on them, and they did not fall apart in the pan. What's happening today? When cooked, the product swells, the skin bursts, and the sausage itself turns into a kind of jelly, which falls apart when you try to get it onto a plate. That is, it contains a huge amount of starch, fat and all sorts of skin residues. Is it possible for children to eat raw sausages, given modern realities, is a question for parents.
Clearly unhealthy composition
However, many people believe that sausages and sausages are much safer than sausage, especially smoked sausage. There are few spices in them, there are no so-called combustion products - for example, resins, but there are many other, no less “interesting” and harmful to health components: flavor enhancers, dyes, thickeners, flavorings, fillers, but meat is rare. So think about it, is it possible to eat such sausages?
Many years ago, GOST requirements were developed obliging manufacturers to use natural meat - more than 50% - for the production of sausages and sausages. These requirements were met; Perhaps today there are manufacturers who strive to produce a quality product, but the vast majority of them have abandoned this. Technical specifications (TU) are much cheaper than GOST, and the quality requirements for products manufactured in compliance with them are much lower.
Shell: natural or artificial
This determines how well the sausages will withstand heat treatment. The natural casing can withstand boiling, frying and grilling. Today, most manufacturers indicate on the packaging that the sausages are packed in a natural casing. But if it bursts in the pan, then there is nothing natural in it. By the way, if you are wondering whether it is possible to eat raw sausages in a natural casing, then remember that the shelf life of such a product is 72 hours. Are you sure that the seller will have time to sell all the goods during this time? Artificial packaging does not give the product much advantage, but during the cooking process it bursts under the influence of temperatures.
Do you need to boil sausages?
Sausages must be boiled before eating. The technology for preparing sausages implies that they can be consumed without heat treatment, however, these must be fresh, high-quality sausages that have been properly stored.
If you are not sure that the sausages were stored correctly, it is better to boil them well.
Heat treatment will help destroy bacteria if they are already present in the product.
We recommend: Intoxication with mold on bread: symptoms and treatment
According to sanitary rules, sausages must be cooked for at least five minutes (after the water boils). It is important to remember that sausages in artificial packaging must be removed from the casing before cooking.
To properly cook sausages, they should be placed in cold water, brought to a boil, and then boiled for 5-6 minutes.
How long to cook
In principle, all sausages are ready-made. They only need to be warmed and slightly sterilized. Nutritionists say that you need to boil water and put sausages in it. After three minutes you can take it out and eat it. However, if we turn to the experience of Soviet chefs, we learn that the manuals indicated completely different numbers. There was nothing said there about whether it was possible to eat raw sausages and small sausages. It was recommended to boil thin products for 5-10 minutes. Plump sausages required even longer heat treatment, 10-15 minutes. Boiled or fried, it was recommended to serve it with mashed potatoes and green peas. But nutritionists say that it is better to offer a lower-calorie side dish, cabbage or other vegetables.
Dangerous effect on the body
Additives used in sausages, including frankfurters, often cause allergies and digestive disorders in children. Having become accustomed to sausages and sausages, children demand them regularly, and hence the emergence of various chronic diseases.
The substances contained in familiar and convenient semi-finished products cannot be physiologically digested and absorbed: the body simply does not understand what to do with it, and begins to spend its resources, which children need for something completely different - for growth, development, activity. The adult body also does not feel its best, but the craving for sausages has already taken hold, and there is no strength to give them up.
Meanwhile, there is no nutritional value in sausages - it’s just a concentrate of substances we don’t need, but they can be eaten quickly and without problems, and children don’t need to be persuaded either. Most parents feed their children sausages and sausages because they simply cannot teach them to eat healthy food, and justify this by saying that this way the child will eat at least something. Even babies who have recently turned one year old are fed by their mothers with sausages, and not always those produced for children.
Let's look at the composition of the product, for example: “lean pork, beef, sausage lard, cheese, pork heart, pork skin, salt; granulated garlic, paprika, white pepper extract, spice extracts, starch, water, flavorings, food coloring, food phosphates, sodium nitrite, skimmed milk powder, granulated sugar with dextrose, lactic acid, sodium lactate, sodium erythrobate, guar gum, methylcellulose, soy concentrate (or isolate).” Are all these substances really useful for children, and adults too? Here is the answer to the question that interests many: “Is it possible to eat sausages and sausages”? Of course not.
Do not feed sausages to at least children under 3 years of age; They will also bring nothing but harm to pregnant and lactating women, and men should remember that many substances contained in sausages significantly reduce sperm activity.
Cooking the healthiest sausages
If you are disappointed in the products that the modern industry offers you, then start making delicious sausages yourself. To do this, you will need to buy good meat and grind it thoroughly in a blender. After this, the mixture needs to be diluted with milk, spices and butter added. The consistency should be quite tender, it will be tastier.
Now you will need a special meat grinder with an attachment for sausages and a casing into which the mass will need to be pumped. Carefully tie the edges and place in the refrigerator to let the minced meat rest for a while. Now all that remains is to prepare the product. To do this, pour water into a pan and place sausages in it. Wait for it to boil and cook for 15-20 minutes. Now we take out our amazing sausages and serve with any side dish. You shouldn’t even ask whether you can eat sausage raw, not cook it. In this case, there is absolutely no way to do without heat treatment. By the way, such sausages can be fried and baked. The aroma and taste will be fantastic every time.
Harmful food additives in sausages and frankfurters
Food additives in modern foods help keep them fresh and improve taste and texture. Among them there are harmless, harmful and dangerous. And if we talk about the dangers of sausage and frankfurters, then I would highlight two:
- Sodium nitrite (E250)
- Pyrophosphate (E450) or triphosphate (E451)
The most surprising thing is that they are allowed to be added to sausage by Russian GOST standards.
Why these? Firstly, they are found in almost any sausage. Secondly, they make sausages and frankfurters, even from good meat, harmful and dangerous products. A description of each deserves a separate article, but I will try to briefly talk about them.
Cheap sausage you can buy and try
Sodium nitrite (E250)
Sodium nitrite is also called nitrite salt. In sausages and sausages it acts as a preservative, flavor enhancer and color fixative. It is unlikely that you will be able to buy a sausage product without it. This is a toxic additive that can cause death if overdosed. Why is it used then? The fact is that the E250 has no alternative. It is used in the meat industry of Europe, Asia and Russia.
To prevent an overdose, in the product, narthium nitrite is mixed with plain salt. Hence the name - nitrite salt. If E 250 gets into the product above the norm, then it will simply be impossible to eat. But it’s still nitrite, it accumulates in the body and slowly poisons it.
Pyrophosphate (E450) or triphosphate (E451)
One product may contain only one, or both at once. Usually, they are listed as an antioxidant in their composition. The main function of pyrophosphates and triphosphate is to retain water in the sausage. Due to this, the mass of the product increases. Useless for the consumer, savings for the manufacturer.
There is a lot of information about the dangers of phosphates in sausages and sausages. Briefly, in case of overdose: vomiting, allergies or diarrhea are guaranteed. Phosphates also accumulate in the body and naturally harm it.
Other additives that make sausage harmful
In addition to these two, other additives can often be found in sausage composition. They are not dangerous, but they also make sausages and sausages unhealthy food.
- Monosodium glutamate (E621) and other flavor enhancers
- High salt and sugar content
- Trans fats
- Sugar substitutes
- Alimentary fiber
- Preservatives
Nutritionists about sausages
The quality of products on the modern market leaves much to be desired. Therefore, for baby food, pregnant and lactating women, it is better to completely exclude such products from the diet. Research shows that sausages contain a colossal amount of fat and harmful additives, which, whether raw or cooked, will not give anything good to the body.
If you decide to give sausage to your baby for a change, then remember that it can be included in a child’s diet no earlier than three years of age. Choose your brand carefully. Don't pay attention to the cheapest sausages; they contain too many harmful additives. But there is no need to take the most expensive ones either. Usually their composition is the same as in the middle price segment, but the cost is an order of magnitude higher. Why pay extra for a trademark? Sometimes, frankly low-quality goods are sold at top prices. In this case, the manufacturer is counting on the fact that the consumer considers the most expensive to be of the highest quality.
Dangerous stabilizers
Among other things, stabilizers and dyes are added to the sausage to create a “meaty” color. These can be either chemicals or dried blood. Starch and gelatin (typical ingredients of homemade jellied meat) were traditionally used as stabilizers and thickeners in the production of sausage, but now they have been replaced by hydrocolloids, which bind water and minced meat ten times better.
The most dangerous preservative is sodium nitrite. It interferes with the development of cadaveric bacteria. Despite the fact that many experts are confident that regular consumption of sodium nitrite in food leads to various diseases and even stomach cancer, it is simply impossible to exclude it from the composition of sausage - without this component, the meat will begin to rot intensively within a few hours, even when refrigerated. Against its background, the usual monosodium glutamate looks quite harmless.
