One of summer's best-loved foods--hot dogs--may pose a health threat to consumers if left uncooked or undercooked, according to laboratory tests conducted for The Times.
The tests found that 20% of the major brand hot dog products tested contained bacteria that most commonly cause flu-like symptoms but can cause serious illness. The presence of the bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes, is troubling because hot dogs are often not thoroughly heated and some people eat them straight out of the package.
Hot dogs are classified by the federal government as a "processed" meat item, meaning that they are required by law to be fully cooked and ready to eat at the time of purchase. Thus, the government does not require cooking instructions on hot dog packaging. As a result, some manufacturers provide cooking guidelines and others do not.
Last year, an advisory issued jointly by the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned people considered to be in high-risk groups to avoid eating delicatessen-type foods, soft cheeses and undercooked chicken because of the listeriosis risk.


The advisory specifically recommended that hot dogs be cooked to "steaming hot"--160 degrees for several minutes--in order to destroy harmful organisms that may be present. Still, food service outlets and consumers often undercook hot dogs. Federal officials caution that extra care be taken when microwaving hot dogs because the fast-cooking ovens may heat unevenly.