A hot dog, also known as a frankfurter or weiner, is food .
Hot dogs are ubiquitous .
Meat processed as sausage has gained wide acceptance in the United States . . . Americans eat an average of about 25 lbs. Binders or extenders, such as cereals, usually are added. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has questioned whether the use of sodium nitrite and other chemicals, added to preserve and color, is healthful. Just a wee bit of history .