Bologna

Photo Credit: flickr/Jazz Guy Around autumn, students, teachers, and parents may have some big decisions to make. Private school or public? AP calculus or Art History? What to pack for lunch? Often, the answer to that last question is a bologna sandwich. Bologna is the archetypal American sandwich meat – salty, moist, and a bit mysterious. Bologna is a semisolid meat product made from one or more livestock sources, most commonly beef or pork, and may contain poultry meat. According to the Food and Drug Administration, “[Bologna] may not contain more than 30% fat or no more than 10% water, or a combination of 40% fat and added water. Up to 3.5% non-meat binders and extenders (such as nonfat dry milk, cereal, or dried whole milk) or 2% isolated soy protein may be used, but must be shown in the ingredients statement on the product's label by its common name.”^[1] In all, you can be sure that at least 45.5% of a given bologna is meat.