Hot dog meat could harbour risk of cancer: researchers

Hot dogs may seem like the perfect barbecue food for the summer, but new research shows that eating them could lead to cancer.

Scientists from the University of Nebraska Medical Centre say hot dog meat may contain a DNA-mutating compound that can boost the risk of cancer.

The meat is preserved with sodium nitrate, which can form chemicals called N-nitroso, the scientists explain. This chemical usually causes cancer in lab animals.

The scientists extracted the chemical out of packaged wieners from the supermarket and mixed them with nitrate.

The results showed that carcinogenic compounds formed after the mixing.

Researchers from the American Meat Institute Foundation say that the study is still in its infancy and its results may not determine that hot dogs are directly related to cancer.

Future experiments conducted by the University will involve feeding wieners to lab mice to see if colon cancer or precancerous conditions develop, the scientists say.

The scientists study appears in the August 9 edition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Photography: Newport Beach Fire Department

Source: Discovery Channel Reports, August 15 edition