What's Really in a Hot Dog? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Barker

A hot dog (or frankfurter, frank, wiener, weenie) is a moist sausage usually made from mechanically separated meat, or meat slurry. It is usually eaten in a specially designed bun which is made especially for it. There are various stories about how the names frankfurter, wiener, and hot dog came about. Most of the stories claim that the names came from various parts of Europe.

Answer: All answers are correct

Meat slurry, reconstituted meat, or emulsified meat is a liquefied meat product that contains less fat than unprocessed dark meats. It is not sold over the counter, but it is used as a meat supplement in food products such as chicken nuggets, hot dogs, sausages, and food for domestic animals. Poultry is the most common meat slurry; however, beef and pork are also used.

Answer: They could get an illness called Listeriosis

Pregnant women should not eat hot dogs unless they are cooked for at least two minutes in 170 degree (Fahrenheit) or 77 degree (Celsius) water. Listeriosis is a disease caused by bacteria which seem to live and proliferate at normal refrigerator temperatures.

These bacteria can affect unborn children, and in extreme cases may cause miscarriage or stillbirth. A person with listeriosis may have fever, muscle aches, and sometimes nausea or diarrhea. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, the victim might get a headache, stiff neck, may have loss of balance, or go into convulsions. Pregnant women are about 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get listeriosis if they are exposed to the bacteria.

It is estimated that about one-third of all listeriosis cases happen during pregnancy.

This is scary stuff, so women, please be careful.

Answer: He's the founder of Nathan's Famous hot dogs

Nathan Handwerker was a Polish immigrant who came to the U.S. in 1912. He found work at a hot dog stand in Coney Island, New York working for a man named Charles Feltman who had been selling sausages in rolls in the area since about 1870. In 1916 Handwerker, with encouragement from many of his customers, allegedly including show business personalities Eddie Cantor and Jimmy Durante opened a hot dog stand in direct competition with his former boss.

In order to be competitive he decided to charge a nickel for his hot dogs rather than the dime his former boss charged. So began the Nathan's hot dog, now a national brand in the U.S, with its original location still open for business in Coney Island in 2009. Great hot dogs!

Answer: True

Pork and beef are traditional meats, and less expensive hot dogs can be primarily chicken or turkey. In general, wieners tend to contain pork and are the blander of the two, while franks tend to be all beef and more-strongly seasoned.

Answer: Animal intestines

Hot dogs must be in a casing to be cooked. Usually this casing is made from the small intestines of sheep, and these are known as "natural casing" hot dogs or frankfurters. This kind of hot dogs will have a firmer texture and a crack or snap that releases juices and flavor when the product is bitten. Skinless hot dogs usually are produced in a long tube of thin cellulose that is completely removed between cooking and packaging. Skinless hot dogs are usually softer than natural casing hot dogs, and can also be made more cheaply.

Answer: 7-Eleven

7-Eleven claims to be the biggest retailer of hot dogs in North America selling over 100 million annually. These are freshly grilled at their stores and are provided by Oscar Mayer. Other retailers of cooked hot dogs would include Sonic, Carl Jrs. Dairy Queen, A & W and Nathan's.

Some of the biggest retailers of packaged hot dogs include Nathan's, the aforementioned Oscar Mayer, Ballpark, and Hebrew National.

Answer: Nathan's, Coney Island

Officially titled the "IFOCE Nathan's International July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest", this is an annual competitive eating contest held at Nathan's Famous, in Coney Island, New York every July 4, America's Independence Day. The event actually started in 1916 with four gentlemen having a hot dog eating contest to determine who was the most patriotic.

The contest was won by a contestant who ate 13 hot dogs in ten minutes. The event has evolved into somewhat of an international novelty now with entrants from many countries participating.

It is even televised on ESPN, and is attended by many thousands of spectators (some years' estimates are 30,000 or more) who crowd the streets around Nathan's hoping to get a view of the participants. The 2009 edition of the event was won by Joey Chestnut, a 25 year old professional eater (that's what they call them now) who set a new world record, downing 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Did anyone say Pepto-Bismol?

Answer: Mustard, ketchup, chili, relish, onions

Here is what they found: Mustard 32%, Ketchup 23%, Chili 17%, Relish 9% and Onions 7%.* Of course, this was a national survey so the percentage may vary due to local tastes and customs. In various regions, things such as cole slaw, potato salad, pickles, and other items are consumed on hot dogs as well.

*National Sausage and Hot Dog Council @ www.hot-dog.org

Answer: 375 ft. (114.32 meters)

According to the Guinness Book of World Records*, the largest hot dog on record at the time was credited on September 27, 2008 in Monterrey Mexico. It was produced by Empacadora Ponderosa, a meat products producer. The hot dog was longer than a U.S. football field and after certification (and a careful check by health inspectors) was cut up and served to over 1,000 attendees who witnessed the event.

*Guinnessworldrecords.com