Well, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the professional organization that speaks publicly on behalf of the pediatricians in this country, thinks that choking on hot dogs is unacceptable, and that hot dog makers are not helping the problem.  The AAP wants to change the design of the hot dog and revamp packaging to warn of the risk of choking.

ABC News has a great video, complete with an animation of the choking mechanism. Take a look…

More of the article can be read on abcnews.com

Although a child dies every five minutes from choking, and despite hot dogs being the number one choking hazard, hot dog manufacturers are reluctant to change the design or even the package labels for their product.  The claim that placing an ominous label on their product will hurt sales.  They also claim that grapes and peanuts are just as harmful, but since they are naturally-occurring, they are not subject to regulation or scrutiny.

Now, I’m not sure how changing the shape of the hot dog can solve the problem.  It’s not like a square hot dog would be much better.  And I’m sure that whatever shape it will be, it will have to be cut up to serve to children.  But I could definitely say that if I owned a hot dog factory – I’d be the first one to change the shape — sounds at least like a good business plan!