Studies have also linked processed meats, including hot dogs, to serious health risks. Research from the University of Hawaii found that consuming processed meats increases the risk of pancreatic can.cer by 67%.

One of the most concerning additives in hot dogs is nitrates and nitrites. Even organic hot dogs can contain high levels of these compounds. When exposed to high heat, they react with amines in processed meat to form nitrosamines—chemicals associated with an increased risk of several can.cers, including bladder, pancreatic, colon, and stomach can.cer.

According to the American Institute for Can.cer Research, eating just one hot dog per day raises the risk of colorectal can.cer by 21%.

The video below provides an inside look at the hot dog-producing process.