A few months ago, the WHO included sausage on the list of dangerous foods. And recently, public inspectors announced that 75% of sausages in Russia are counterfeit.

What's the worst thing about sausage? What sausages are impossible to counterfeit? And how to choose a product if “it’s harmful, but you really want it”?

According to the examination carried out by the society for the protection of consumer rights "Roskontrol", out of 33 names of cooked-smoked and semi-smoked sausages of the most popular brands, 25 do not correspond to the concept of "quality product". What does it mean? “These products contain cheap substitutes for beef and pork - soy and collagen proteins, poultry, animal skins, starch, cellulose and special water-retaining agents,” explains Alexander Borisov, co-chairman of the Roskontrol Consumer Union. "At the same time, these components are not indicated on the label in the sausages."

Alexey Alekseenko, assistant to the head of Rosselkhoznadzor, replied that all the aforementioned sausage complies with the safety standards. And there is no regulation on its quality at the legislative level. Roughly speaking, consumers were not poisoned with such sausage en masse - and that's good! The rest is not within the competence of the state.

Expert opinion:

Boris Gutnik, chief specialist of the V.M.Gorbatov All-Russian Research Institute of the Meat Industry:

- I admit that even expensive raw smoked sausage can be counterfeited. But anyone can easily identify a fake just by looking at the price. So, uncooked smoked food should not cost less than 900 rubles / kg, "Doktorskaya" - less than 350 rubles / kg. The markdown says only one thing: surely the product does not contain the required amount of meat!

In memory of GOST

Sausage, even not falsified, today can hardly be called a useful product. The first Doctor's recipe, for example, included only beef, pork, milk, eggs, salt, sugar, nutmeg or cardamom. This was the case until 1979. The current GOST of 2011 allows the use of almost all food chemistry in the production of sausages. And the GOST itself has become optional: manufacturers working according to TU (technical conditions) can make sausage even from oil, even from chocolate!

By the way, pork skin was also added to sausages in the Soviet years - to save money. Nowadays there is almost no such luxury. Powdered proteins with collagen are more commonly used. “Collagen is a protein of connective tissue, from the point of view of its amino acid composition it is not useful for humans,” says Viktor Konyshev, MD, nutrition specialist. “Collagen itself is not digested or absorbed by the body, but when heat treated it turns into gelatin available for digestion.”

Thank you for being alive!

You can not believe in the data of Roskontrol: for example, the press service of Rospotrebnadzor assured us that the department is not aware of the counterfeit sausage and the share of low-quality products in any segment of food does not exceed 6%.

But journalists have repeatedly conducted their own sausage expertise. For example, four out of five samples of the popular Doktorskaya tested in June 2015 contained unreported monosodium glutamate (E621). This additive increases the taste and aroma in such a way that it can firmly add a person to this product, and a number of experts believe that it is harmful to the heart, liver, metabolism.

Moreover, last year the correspondent got a job at one of the largest Russian meat processing plants. And I found that the sausage was spun from everything that was lying badly: lard, sinew, chicken meat, scraps of pork and beef, and even bags of chemistry without identification marks - all this was dumped into one common vat. Its contents were then put on the conveyor ...

“Due to the fact that we do not have a normal control system, manufacturers can put whatever they want in the sausage,” says Sergey Raksha, executive director of the Truth About Food public organization, throwing up his hands. - It's another matter, they do not bring it to the point of absurdity, that is, they do not poison people in the literal sense of the word. All additives, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, dyes, trimmings, etc. are incapable of causing a person immediate, visible harm. Manufacturers know and use it ”.

According to S. Rakshi, in Europe, for example, the sausage of individual manufacturers can also contain components that can hardly be called useful. “But there these are more exceptional cases than a widespread practice, as we do. Foreign manufacturers pay too large fines, it is economically unprofitable for them to produce counterfeit goods - the “fat” will not cover the payment of fines. So far, our verification system does not allow us to stop the unfair activity of manufacturers, ”adds S. Raksha. And only the department, called upon to control the quality of products, assures that everything is in order with sausage in Russia.

No matter how convincingly one speaks about the harm of sausage, the demand for sausage products is only growing. People are in no hurry to give up their favorite sandwiches with doctor's sausage, sliced \u200b\u200bsalami, sausages with pasta. Together with bakery and dairy products, sausage occupies an honorable third place in our grocery baskets. In the morning, sausage is the perfect breakfast and less hassle with dinner.

So why are nutritionists and doctors so up against her? Let's take a look at the reasons why the harm from sausage is equated with the harm from smoking.

What harm do processed meat products do to the human body?

Processed meat products include a variety of products: all types of sausages, ham, bacon, sausages, jerky, smoked, dry meat, canned meat, dumplings, cutlets, hams. In such products, the meat has been processed, stored in vacuum packages, frozen, smoked, or as sausages and sausages.

One way or another, they always knew about the harm of sausage. With its excessive use, the risk of obesity and the occurrence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract increases. However, over the past decades, the technology of making sausages has changed a lot. And excess weight has ceased to be the biggest problem of those who like to shop in sausage shops.

What sausage is made of

The older generation still praises Soviet sausage. According to the Soviet GOST, the doctor's sausages had the following composition: 70% pork, 25% beef, 3% eggs, 2% milk.

What we have today:

The raw material for meat is animals fed with corn and protein supplements. (bones of other animals). They move little, so their meat is fatty and with a loose consistency.

Skin, bones and other offal are also recycled.

To make the processed meat pink or red (and not a shapeless mass), into it add sodium nitrite. This additive improves flavor and kills bacteria, which is why it is added to all processed meat products. Unfortunately, there sodium nitrite is converted to nitrosamines, which provoke cancer.

Smoked meat products contain PAHs - polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. This additive is carcinogenic, i.e. one that can cause malignant processes.

Heterocyclic amines and glycation end products are other carcinogenscontained in all types of sausages, as they are formed when exposed to very high temperatures.

Soy protein, which is more in sausage than meat.

Sugars, digestible carbohydrates, flavor enhancers. There is a lot of hidden sugar and carbohydrates in sausages, which leads to a high calorie content of the product. A flavor enhancer is considered a safe supplement, but such products do not give a feeling of fullness. They are hungry and hungry.

So, modern sausages and processed meat products have a complex chemical composition. Whereas in a harmless sausage there should be nothing but meat and spices.

In 2015, the World Health Organization officially named processed meat a carcinogenic product that causes cancerous tumors.

Sausages, sausage, bacon, ham are on a par with such hazardous substances for human health as tobacco and asbestos (arsenic sulfide).

The WHO conclusion is based on 800 scientific studies from ten countries.

What diseases cause sausages

Heart disease and hypertension (high blood pressure).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Overweight and obesity.

Oncological diseases (bowel cancer and stomach cancer).

Sausage and cancer: how dangerous is a sandwich

It is not easy for many to accept that such a convenient and beloved product as sausage, ham, sausages are so dangerous to health. But the facts speak for themselves.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has also designated processed meat products as carcinogenic. The organization recommends not only limiting the use of sausages and meat products made from processed meat, but completely excluding them from the diet.

This is due to the fact that during heat treatment nitrogen-containing substances are formed, which are carcinogenic. By the way, fried meat also carries such a danger. The situation is aggravated by the addition of chemical additives to the products. Basically, these are nitrites, which are converted into carcinogenic nitrosamines in the human intestine.

It is made in 2 ways: cold and hot. Difference: in temperature, duration of the process and taste. The types of smoked sausages are much more diverse:

• sausages can be cooked before smoking - boiled-smoked product;
• semi-smoked product is fried, boiled, and then smoked;
• the uncooked smoked product is smoked and then dried for a long time.

Smoked sausage composition

There are no questions about homemade sausage: what they put in is what they got. The composition of the purchased smoked sausage can be amazing. Unscrupulous manufacturers add ingredients that are strange for sausages, but they may forget to put the meat. What should be included in this delicacy:

• meat: pork, veal, beef, poultry, etc.;
• fat. For original varieties, it is added in pieces. Usually comes from the head of the carcass;
• all kinds of spices. Not all of them, everyone tries to emphasize the uniqueness and creates their own recipes. You can find: cloves, various peppers, bay leaves, turmeric, coriander, onions, garlic, citric acid and others;
• nitrate nitrate to give pink color;
• different ingredients with the letters E: E250, E621, E631. Their dangers will be discussed below. Try to search without these ill-fated letters.

See the composition to be aware of which product you are buying. In principle, smoked meat in moderation does not pose a health hazard, but some additives can make a difference.

The benefits and harms of smoked sausage

Let's agree that we're looking at the harm from proven quality or homemade smoked sausage. Watch the composition so as not to get trapped.

Losing weight on such a product will not work. For those who lose weight, use fat from 30 to 50 per day, and here in 100 grams. daily dose. It takes a lot of work on the diet to add a little sausage, but is it worth it? What else can smoked sausage be harmful?

If resinous combustible materials were used in the preparation, then this can be a start for the development of cancer cells. Some manufacturers replace wood chips, while others add liquid smoke. Of course, the additive gives a pleasant smoky aftertaste, but it is also of little use, although it surpasses the first option.

Nutritional supplements are the scourge of our time. Manufacturers everywhere try to add flavor and aroma enhancers. These are all kinds of monosodium glutamates and Eshki. I will list some diseases and signs that appear after eating them:

• diabetes;
• obesity;
• disruption of the organs;
• impairment of memory and performance.

But not everything is so sad, there are also positive aspects:

• the animal protein that is part of the sausage is well absorbed;
• good varieties do not contain cholesterol;
• smoke disinfection;
• properly prepared raw materials do not irritate the mucous membranes and retains many dietary fibers and vitamins.

Of course, it is better to cook homemade products, but store products are of good quality. You just need to study the label. There, although it is veiled, everything is indicated.

Calorie content

The calorie content of smoked sausage varies depending on the ingredients and averages 400 Kcal. Protein content - 15 g., Carbohydrates - 2 g., Fat - 40 g. Far from being a diet food, but not included for breakfast a large number of is quite real.

When smoked at home, write down all the ingredients. How much of this or that component was needed. Next, we use any calorie calculator. There will be indicated the full kbzh per 100 gr.

Who shouldn't eat smoked sausage?

It was found out whether smoked sausage is harmful for an ordinary person, but it is better for someone to give up this delicacy altogether and why.

• with losing weight there is no question - a lot of fat;
• a lot of salt provokes an exacerbation of gastrointestinal problems: ulcers, gastritis, pancreatitis and the like;
• swelling can occur due to salt. It is also not useful for people who are overweight;
• fat is contraindicated in patients with diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis;
• additives such as nitrate with caution for patients with cardiovascular diseases and diseases of the nervous system, after all, it is nitrate.

There are still more minuses than pluses, but the taste of smoking outweighs everything to its side. People with and without contraindications like to eat smoked foods. You just need to know the measure of yourself and your addictions. Try to control your diet and carefully include a small amount of smoked sausage for breakfast, but not every day or even every week, and occasionally you can pamper yourself with your loved one. What do you think about this?

What can be found in every second refrigerator? If we asked this question, the answer would not surprise us at all. In a place of honor, on the middle (and, maybe, the upper or lower shelf), almost every second of us has sausages - boiled, smoked, semi-smoked sausages, sausages, wieners ...

It is noteworthy that according to statistics, it is sausages and sausages that occupy the 4th place in the scale of products that are in constant and constant demand among the population, and are second only to bread and bakery products, as well as the "second bread" - potatoes.

Today we also decided to talk about the "sausage" topic, and figure out why we love sausage so much, what this product brings to our body, and how to choose the right sausages so as not to harm our health and stomach ...

Cooking sausages - what's harmful

Despite the fact that every year the number of fans orthorexia (psychosis of healthy eating) and, despite the active propaganda that sausage is a harmful product, in which there is not only nothing useful, but even no meat, the queues in sausage departments of stores and supermarkets are not getting smaller, and sausages are - still remain one of the in-demand products from the product list. Therefore, we will still try, as far as possible, to rehabilitate this sausage product in the eyes of our customers, and for this we will objectively answer the questions of what is included in the sausage and how it is produced ...

How to cook boiled sausages

How to cook boiled sausages

Depending on the type and grade of sausage, the technology of its preparation also changes. So, for example, boiled sausages are prepared from salted minced meat with certain additives - all this sausage mass is cooked at a temperature of 80 degrees. But, boiled sausages are more expensive, and of the highest grade are prepared from natural pork and beef meat, and natural casings are used for packaging, or protein or gozon-penetrated and vapor-permeable barrier casings. It is noteworthy that, according to the buyers of sausages themselves, they prefer artificial casings more, since in their opinion, this allows to extend the shelf life of such a sausage product and reduces the risk of buying stale sausage.

According to the standards, on the packaging (casing) of sausages, the batch of goods must be indicated, as well as the composition of such sausages (the first ingredients represent the majority, and then in descending order). In addition, without fail on the casing of such sausages must be indicated and added to its composition (permission to use which is "de facto" and "de jure") and in no case should exceed the permissible norms ...

Ah, now look at the stick of cooked sausage that lies in your refrigerator ... It must - this does not mean that it is, and this is what is written on the shell of your sausage ...

Boiled sausage - harm and benefit

A sandwich with pieces of boiled sausage is not an ideal breakfast option. However, do not rush to draw such conclusions. As if you learn about all the properties of cooked sausage - your opinion will definitely change. But let's start by remembering what boiled sausage is made of.

And, they prepare it (or rather, they must cook it) from lean meat, fat, spices and salt. It is possible to add spices such as garlic, caraway seeds, onions, nutmeg, cardamom, pepper ... Theoretically, from such a composition and provided that the sausage is fresh and made in compliance with all the necessary sanitary standards of production, there will be no particular harm to our body ... True, the main thing is not to abuse such breakfasts, since such sandwiches, and also dry food, can become fertile ground for the development of gastrointestinal diseases.

But, this is all theory, let's move on to practice. And, in practice, it turns out that in order to give the sausage a marketable appearance, to reduce the cost of the production process, to increase the shelf life of such boiled sausage, which the manufacturer does not add to the composition of such a product. Moreover, such additives, as well as their quantity, are very often on the verge and beyond the permissible. And it's not just about eggs, milk proteins, whole milk or animal blood plasma ...

Therefore, more often than not, such boiled sausage on the shelves of our stores does not bring any benefit to our body, even when it is fresh. And, frequent consumption of such sausage can cause diseases such as gout, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary heart disease, impair the functions of the kidneys and liver, and promote the growth of cancer cells, lead to obesity and atherosclerosis. So much for a boiled sausage sandwich!

Harm of meat and vegetable sausages

Sausages or sausages, which, in addition to meat, include cereals, soy or beans are called meat and vegetable... At the same time, the biological value of such products does not decrease at all, since plant fiber and biologically active substances, which we have already written so rich in, are added to the composition of such sausages. These products must comply with GOSTs, and the content of the plant part must not exceed the permissible standards. However, if you see on the casing a record that the sausage meets the TU (technical specifications) - think about it! Each manufacturer has its own technical conditions and they do not always guarantee the benefits of our body and the absence of harm..

Blood sausage harm

It is customary to call the type of sausage in which the main ingredient is purified blood (depending on which minced meat is made from the bloodstream - veal, pork, bovine).

It is noteworthy that bloodworm has long been considered a traditional food of nomadic peoples, who made just this type of sausage from meat and blood of animals.

However, despite the fact that it would seem that this product is as natural as possible (ideally, a homemade blood vessel should not contain any other components except meat, blood, salt and spices), and the fact that such a sausage contains vitamins , minerals, important amino acids and it is even used, this type of sausage is contraindicated for people who are overweight, have a problem of obesity, liver diseases, pancreas, biliary tract, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

In addition, it should be understood that in view of the peculiarities of its preparation and the ingredients from which the bloodlet is prepared, the shelf life of this sausage is very short. And, not high-quality or expired bloody can cause severe food poisoning.

Therefore, if you are a lover of blood, and it is still difficult for you to refuse this product in your diet - use only fresh blood and in limited quantities, and in order to reduce the risk of possible infectious diseases - expose the blood to heat before serving. processing.

Liver sausage - benefits and harms

Another sausage variation on the main theme of the benefits and harms of sausage is liver sausage. Such a sausage is produced from the liver, or rather, it was previously produced. Now in the composition of liver sausage you will not find anything: starch, thickeners, preservatives and even ... cardboard and paper.

To make sure that this is indeed the case, simply put pieces of such liver sausage in a preheated pan and try to fry them. What you get as a result of such thermal exposure will look like anything but liver or liver.

And, once the real natural liver sausage was completely different, and its calorie content even exceeded the calorie content of boiled sausage, and it was possible to use liverka and, in principle (if you had no contraindications), it was tasty and healthy. But, today's liverwort, which even cats refuse to eat, will bring you nothing but harm: it contributes. And, in case of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the use of such a dubious delicacy can cause an exacerbation of your chronic diseases or an impetus for their development.

Similarly, in case of diseases of the biliary tract, liver, pancreatitis, it is not worth eating liver sausage (if you still eat it!).

How to choose harmless sausage

What should you pay attention to when choosing sausages and sausages? This question interests all "meat-eaters". So, here, according to experts, the criteria for choosing a sausage should be:

• sausage color - the brighter and more unnatural it is, the more sodium nitrate is in the composition of such a sausage, which is added to the sausage to give the product a marketable "meat" appearance. In addition, such sodium nitrite also acts as a preservative, and in the case when its concentration exceeds the permissible norm, it can harm your health, since such nitrites in the human body are converted into nitrosamines, which contribute to the growth of cancer cells.
• packaging and information indicated on it - carefully read the composition of such sausage and sausage products and remember that if food additives are immediately indicated in the composition, then there is no meat at all in such sausage.
• if you buy not natural sausage, but meat and vegetable, pay your attention to the fact that the soy that is part of such a sausage is not genetically modified, but a product.
• manufacturers often add starch to sausages of non-premium grades. The more starch, the more such sausage crumbles... Think about it ...
• very often you can find in sausages ... phosphates... They are added to color and improve the consistency of the sausage product. However, in the case when the manufacturer has overdone or deliberately exceeded the permissible dose of phosphates, such a sausage will look loose and not have a dense consistency, and this is already a dangerous symptom, since an excess of phosphates leads to an imbalance of phosphorus and calcium in the human body and provokes the development of osteoporosis, which over time will bring no small harm to your body.
• voids in the cut of a sausage may indicate a technological defect, or they may hint at the multiplication of botulism sticks in such a sausage.

The harm of sausage is not just a myth propagated by vegetarians. For several years now, the World Health Organization has been comparing the health risks arising from the regular consumption of processed meat (sausages, sausages and other convenience foods) with the dangers posed by cigarette smoking and the use of asbestos (1).

Experts note that processed meat products significantly increase the risk of bowel cancer and strongly recommend limiting the use of such products to 50 g per day. But what in the composition of sausages and sausages provokes such negative processes, and how much does a sausage "safe" for health cost?

What exactly is harmful in sausage?

It is necessary to understand that modern sausages are a complex chemical product, only a small fraction of what an ordinary person could call "meat". None of the key ingredients in the sausage composition can be considered natural, since they all undergo multi-stage and very aggressive processing.

Separately, it should be noted that sausages and sausages are strictly forbidden to fry, boil, or undergo any other temperature treatment - the components contained in them can oxidize and change under the influence of high temperatures, thus becoming even more powerful carcinogens that provoke various types of cancer.

Sausage composition: meat quality

Typical raw materials for the manufacture of even expensive sausages are the so-called "intensively fed animals" kept in conditions of limited movement. Since these pigs and cows practically do not move, their meat becomes extremely fat, while having a light color and a loose consistency.

If under normal conditions a cow feeds on fresh grass, then a cow from a meat processing plant lives on corn (of course, the cheapest and most modified) and protein supplements, often representing the ground bones of her fellows. The bottom line is a shift in fat balance towards those found in corn (2).

Vegetable proteins and fats

It is important to note that meat processing plants process up to 98% of the carcass of a killed animal. The fat from the skin and bones is melted and added to the minced meat for a more "juicy" sausage. In addition, hydrogenated vegetable fats are introduced into the composition of the product - unfortunately, they appear in them during aggressive processing.

Among other things, in the composition of cheap sausages and sausages, some of the meat can be replaced with soy protein. However, the main problem with this protein is not soy itself, but, again, in aggressive chemical processes. To give the soybeans the desired textural properties, they can be soaked in an alkaline solution, bleached, and so on.

The main element of the composition: stabilizers

The initially light and friable meat, crushed into minced meat, becomes even more colorless and looks like a shapeless mass after adding vegetable fats. Colorants and stabilizers are added to create an elastic structure and a red "meat" color. As a dye, both chemicals and dried blood can be used.

Starch and gelatin (typical ingredients of homemade jellied meat) have traditionally been used as stabilizers and thickeners in the manufacture of sausages, but now they are replaced by hydrocolloids, which bind water and minced meat ten times better. To imagine their effect, think of wallpaper glue diluted in water.

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Sodium nitrite: a dangerous preservative

Sodium nitrite is introduced into minced sausage for two key reasons. Firstly, it is he who gives the colorless mixture of animal and vegetable fats the familiar reddish-pink "sausage" color. Secondly, it is a powerful preservative that prevents the development of cadaveric bacteria (without which, whatever one may say, the meat of a killed animal is impossible).

Despite the fact that many experts are sure that regular consumption of sodium nitrite in food leads to various diseases and even stomach cancer (3), it is simply impossible to exclude it from the sausage composition - without this component, the meat will begin to rot intensively within a few hours, even in chilled condition.

Taste enhancers

The opinion that flavor enhancers are the most terrible component of sausage and other semi-finished meat products is deeply mistaken. Basically, it is an understood and researched substance that has no health side effects and is found in many natural foods (including mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheese).

Among other things, adding "regular" monosodium glutamate to an absolutely tasteless mass of loose meat, vegetable fat, stabilizers and preservatives is not able to solve the problem and really improve the taste. Sausage spices are ground in a vacuum at -192C, or in the presence of carbon dioxide and ultra-high pressures.

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The World Health Organization officially recognized sausages, sausages and other semi-finished meat products as unhealthy and strongly recommended limiting the consumption of processed meat to 50 g per day. The main reason is that modern sausages are a product of multi-stage and aggressive processing.