Sausage

Sausage is best introduced after 12 months of age because it poses a high choking risk and it is often high in sodium and nitrates. If you want to share a small taste on occasion with baby and it doesn’t contain honey (a high-risk food for infant botulism), prepare the meat in a an-age appropriate way that minimizes the risk of choking.

Sausages are a choking hazard, so make sure to cut according to a child’s age and eating ability to reduce choking risk.

Sausage is made by salting and forming ground-up meat into links, patties, or other shapes, a centuries-old preservation method. Nearly every culture in the world has its own version of sausage. Consequently, sausages are made of countless meats. There are pork sausages like bratwurst and chorizo; beef sausages like chả bò and hot dogs; fish and shellfish sausage like crawfish boudin, kamaboko, and soondae; mixed meat sausages like kaminwurz, makanek, and mutura; and hundreds more. There are also different preservation methods: firm, dry sausage is cured to the point that it does not require refrigeration, while soft, fresh sausage contains raw meat that must be cooked to order.

It can be, depending on the preparation. Sausages are often high in sodium and nitrates, ingredients that should be minimized or avoided during a child’s first year of life. That said, they can also offer plenty of protein, fats, B-vitamins, choline, selenium, and zinc. After the first birthday, sausages may be served in moderation. Sausage and other processed red meats have received attention for their potential association with heart disease and cancer, although more research is needed. In general, try to minimize processed meats like sausages and aim for variety in the diet.

★Tip: When shopping for sausage, choose products labeled “reduced sodium.” Fresh sausages containing raw meat tend to be lower in sodium than cured or smoked varieties.

Yes. Sausages are often cylindrical in shape and firm and springy in texture, qualities that heighten choking risk. In particular, smaller varieties like breakfast sausage links, vienna sausages, and “baby” sausages carry an even higher risk, as the sausage is closer in size to the diameter of a child’s airway. If you decide to serve sausage to baby, reduce the risk by removing the casing, crumbling the meat, and mixing the crumbles into a sauce or soft, scoopable food. After 12 months of age, remove the casing and cut the meat lengthwise into quartered sticks. As always, make sure you create a safe eating environment and stay within arm’s reach of baby at mealtime. For more information on choking, visit our section on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with the list of common choking hazards.

No. Sausage is not a common food allergen, although it is possible to have allergies to ingredients in sausage, such as beef, pork, and others. Other ingredients that are common food allergens may be added to sausage, such as eggs, finned fish or shellfish, soy, or wheat, so make sure to read the label carefully.

Certain tick bites (mainly the Lone Star tick in the continental United States, but other ticks in different parts of the world), are associated with the development of an allergy to galactose-alpha-1, 3-galactose (“alpha gal”), a sugar which is present in all non-primate mammalian meat. This results in a delayed allergic reaction 3 to 8 hours after red meat is consumed. Some individuals with alpha gal allergy also react to small amounts of the sugar present in dairy products, gelatin, or organ tissues (such as liver) from mammals. Individuals with cat allergies may also have an increased risk of allergy to pork products, also known as pork-cat syndrome.

As with introducing any new food, start by serving a small quantity for the first few servings, and if there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the quantity over future meals.

Generally, yes. Sausages made of raw ground beef, lamb, pork, or other red meats should be cooked to 160 F (71 C), while sausage made of raw poultry should be cooked to 165 F (74 C) to kill harmful bacteria. Importantly, even sausages marked as pre-cooked (hot dogs, breakfast sausages, vienna sausages) should be reheated to minimize the risk of foodborne illness.

No. In general, sausage is high in protein and fat and low in fiber, qualities that slow the processes of digestion and pooping. Remember that pooping patterns can vary significantly from baby to baby. If you have concerns about baby’s pooping and digestive function, talk to your pediatric healthcare provider.