The best sausages in 2022
Any product must meet safety requirements. Sausages, as fast and tasty food, do not always contain the ingredients that are indicated on the package. We have compiled a rating: in it you will find the most natural and GOST-compliant sausages

Sausages belong to sausages and are divided into two categories: A and B. Category A includes products in which the mass fraction of muscle tissue is more than 80%. And category B – those sausages, where the mass fraction is from 60 to 80%. Sausages, which have more muscle tissue, taste meaty and more fatty. Product category B is most often creamy, milky, with the addition of spices. 

It may seem that the “cleaner” the composition, the better the selected sausages. This is not entirely true. For example, according to GOST (1), the composition should contain sodium nitrate or E250 – it is necessary to give color and is not harmful to health. 

In addition to the composition, packaging, shelf life, organoleptic properties are also important – experts evaluate products for compliance with quality using the senses.

It is not so easy to figure out the additives and the ratio of fats and proteins in sausages on your own. For a faster choice, be guided by the rating of the best sausages in 2022, compiled by Healthy Food Near Me. 

Top 10 brands of the best sausages according to KP

1. Dairy sausages “Dymov”  

Sausages are made from beef and pork with the addition of milk. When cut, it is clear that they have a uniform color and texture. The taste of the product with milky notes, there are spices in the composition: they are also felt in the taste palette. Sausages “Dymov” are good because they do not contain starch, soy and vegetable components – they fully comply with GOST (1). All information on the packaging is correct. 

In the Roskachestvo rating, these sausages are in first place among milk sausages; in 2020, the product was awarded the Quality Mark. 

Microbiological indicators and the content of proteins, fats are normal. Enough salt, no starch. Uniform color and consistency. No synthetic dyes, sorbic acid. Delicate, pleasant taste
May burst when cooked
show more

2. Dairy sausages “Sochi Meat Processing Plant” 

The weight of sausages corresponds to the declared on the package. They do not contain pathogens and GMOs, as well as antibiotics and bacteria of the intestinal group. The taste, like the smell, is not bright, but rather moderate, neutral: enough salt and spices. The amount of proteins is normal, but the level of fats is slightly lower than indicated on the package.

High organoleptic evaluation. Smooth, not bright taste and aroma. No GMOs, no antibiotics, enough salt and spices. When cooking, they do not lose their shape and do not burst
The amount of fat is 19% less than indicated on the package
show more

3. Viennese sausages “Vkusvill” 

Among all the wieners and sausages, Roskontrol singled out these particular ones, putting them in first place in the ranking in 2021. Firstly, there is much more muscle tissue in Vkusvill sausages than connective tissue. Secondly, there are no phosphates and nitrites. And also in terms of physical and chemical indicators, they correspond to the standard: only now they are produced according to the manufacturer’s specifications, and not in accordance with GOST.

The taste of sausages is smoked with spices, they do not boil soft and have a pleasant smell. The main disadvantage is that the protein in them is 15% less than indicated in the composition.

Sufficient amount of salt, no nitrites and phosphates. Conform to safety requirements, high percentage of muscle tissue, dense texture.
High price. Sold only in online stores. Protein 15% less than indicated on the package
show more

4. Sausages creamy “Vyazanka” 

Vyazanka contains no GMOs, preservatives and dyes. They are moderately salty, have a pronounced creamy taste with a slight aftertaste of spices, and keep their shape when cooked. Sausages are made mainly from pork, beef makes up only 3% of the main raw materials. The reviews write that the shell is easily removed: someone eats with it, but it is better to clean the sausages before eating.

Roskachestvo rated them 4,2 points out of 5. The main drawback is that the label does not contain accurate information about the product category.

No preservatives, synthetic colors and GMOs. Sausages are well cooked, have a uniform texture and color. Mild taste, no foreign smell
As part of chicken breast fillet and cow’s milk powder: these components are not allowed by the advanced standard of Roskachestvo. There is no exact information on the product category on the label
show more

5. Sausages cream “Gubkinsky meat-packing plant”

Sausages are made from beef and pork: they make up 50% of the total raw materials. It also contains cream, spices, a stabilizer and an antioxidant. They are large in shape and have a dark pink color, although the quality standards state that the color of the product must be pink or light pink.(1) 

Sausages have an elastic texture, when cooked, they slightly increase in size and darken. The taste is delicate, and the product itself is juicy, moderately fatty.

Juicy and tender, non-GMO. The correct ratio of proteins and fats, boiled and moderately salted. No antibiotics, hormones and traces of heavy metals
Organoleptic evaluation below normal. The color is dark pink and does not comply with GOST

6. Dairy sausages “Cherkizovo” 

According to all indicators they correspond to GOST (1). In terms of taste, aroma, consistency and color, Roskachestvo rated them with the highest score. Sausages are made from beef and pork, with the addition of milk and egg products. The content of protein, fat, salt and sodium nitrite is also normal, although it does not fully correspond to what is stated on the package. During the examination, antibiotics, GMOs, traces of heavy metals were not found.

Safe product, no GMOs or preservatives. Easily cleaned from the shell, do not boil soft. In terms of physical and chemical indicators, they correspond to the standard
The amount of fat is 29% less than indicated on the package
show more

7. Dairy sausages “Miratorg” 

On the packaging of sausages «Miratorg» there is a GOST mark: and they are really made in accordance with quality requirements. Contains more pork than beef. And the taste seems to many to be too milky: the amount of cream in the composition is in second place after meat. Sausages are well cooked, have a dense and elastic texture. Although the product has no foreign taste and smell, the organoleptic rating is below the norm – 3,5: the lower limit is 4,5 points.

Without GMOs, toxic elements, antibiotics and hormones. Well cooked, the surface of the product is clean and dry. They hold their shape when cooked and don’t burst.
Organoleptic evaluation below normal. Too rich milky taste
show more

8. Sausages creamy “Myasnov”

Sausages from “Myasnov” are sold by weight. And their main disadvantage is that the label is poorly designed. The composition of the product is good: there are no meat substitutes, soy, artificial colors and preservatives. The examination revealed pork and beef meat, as well as milk protein: this means that they really have cream or milk. Sausages correspond to GOST (1), but have low organoleptic characteristics.

No starch, soy, GMOs. Enough salt. Do not boil soft, light pink color. Tender and juicy minced meat
Organoleptic evaluation below normal. No product category on the label

9. Creamy sausages “Borodin’s Meat House”

Laboratory studies have shown that the product is of high quality and safe. Sausages from the Borodin Meat House meet the Roskachestvo standard, in the ranking for 2021 they put them in 3rd place. The composition contains beef and pork, as well as cream and spices. No preservatives were found in sausages; there are no traces of heavy metals, nitrites, antibiotics and pathogenic microorganisms in them.

In composition, they deviate slightly from GOST: there is 9% more fat in the composition than is permissible. The calorie content was also higher: 17 percent more than indicated on the label.

High content of muscle tissue in the sample. Well cooked, enough salt, no starch or preservatives.
They do not meet the requirements of GOST: 9% more fat, 17% more calories. Relatively high price
show more

10. Sausages creamy “Outskirts”

Sausages from have deviations from GOST (2). They have 19% more fat than is allowed and indicated in the composition. And also the calorie content is underestimated: in fact, it is 22% higher than indicated on the package. In all other respects, the product is good: enough muscle tissue, high organoleptic indicators, no soy and antibiotics in the composition. Sausages are more neutral in taste, spices are not strongly felt. 

High content of muscle tissue, no antibiotics, GMOs, soy, traces of heavy metals. Enough salt. Well boiled. No taste or strong odor
Does not comply with GOST: more than 19% fat. The declared calorie content is 22% less than the real one.
show more

How to choose the right sausages 

She told about the composition of sausages and the criteria for their selection Gayana Matevosyan, brand chef at Bestie, Myasnik’s Dacha, Express food.

The main criteria for choosing sausages

  • Color. It should be pink or light pink. If the sausages are too bright, then the manufacturer has added a lot of dye. In the event that the color of the sausages is gray-pink, they do not contain sodium nitrite, which is used as a dye according to GOST.
  • Packaging. Sausages can be packed in tight packaging or sold by weight. Its integrity is important. And most importantly, the packaging should be labeled, the composition and expiration date are indicated.
  • Shelf life. Bulk sausages have a shelf life of 3 to 5 days. If they are in modified packaging, they are stored for up to 35 days. The shelf life increases when sausages are made not according to GOST, but according to the manufacturer’s specifications. In a vacuum, the product is stored for 10-15 days, but after opening no more than 3 days. It is better to refuse to buy those sausages on which the expiration date is not indicated.
  • Shell. There is a natural and artificial polyamide film: both the first and second options can be taken. Sausages in artificial film have a smoother surface. When choosing, you need to look for fatty smudges, excess fluid and defects on the shell. If you find all of the above, choose other sausages. 
  • Composition. Give preference to those sausages, in which meat products are in the first places: beef, pork, turkey. According to GOST, sausages can contain egg mass, milk or cream, spices, sodium nitrite and water. 

Popular questions and answers

Can sausages contain preservatives and dyes?
Finding sausages with a good composition is not so easy, but there are definitely such. And at the same time, the presence of preservatives and dyes does not mean that the product is of poor quality. For example, sodium nitrite or E250 is added to add color to minced meat. But sorbic, benzoic acids and their salts are needed only for surface treatment: they should not be in the composition. Stabilizers (for example, sodium tripolyphosphate or sodium pyrophosphate) and antioxidants (ascorbic acid) are acceptable in the composition of sausages.
Should sausages be cooked or not?
Sausages are prepared from raw materials that have already undergone heat treatment. That is, in fact, like sausage, they can be eaten raw. But here it is worth being aware of the observance of safety standards. After all, cooking sausages will help remove bacteria that are originally in the product or appear when storage conditions are not observed. 

 Theoretically, sausages can be eaten raw, but heat treatment never hurts. If only because sausages have much better microbiological parameters during examinations. That is why they are eaten raw.

 Sausages are cooked for 5 minutes after boiling, they can also be put in cold water and brought to a boil.

What exactly should not be in the composition of sausages?
Antibiotics, traces of heavy metals, radionuclides (strontium and cesium), pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, DNA of corn, soybeans, DNA of dogs, cats, sheep, horses, as well as GMOs. 

Sources of

  1. GOST R 52196-2011. Cooked sausage products. URL: https://docs.cntd.ru/document/1200092623
  2. GOST 23670-79. Boiled sausages, sausages and sausages, meat loaves. URL: https://docs.cntd.ru/document/1200016992

Leave a Reply