Experts checked the quality and safety of hot dogs and coffee at gas stations in Ukraine

The biggest battle is for the attention of hungry drivers: you can eat quickly, affordably, satisfyingly, and anywhere only at gas stations and fast-food points with a drive-thru window. The most popular items are hot dogs and coffee, and it's these that specialists from the Institute of Consumer Expertise have once again taken up to inspect.

This time, the study covered eight major gas station chains (WOG, BRSM-nafta, OKKO, LUXWEN, KLO, Shell, Amic, TNK). Specialists purchased hot dogs and two types of coffee — espresso and americano. The samples were then sent to an accredited laboratory and for tasting — both by professionals and ordinary customers. The results are as follows: the best hot dogs in the country are offered by WOG, BRSM-nafta, and OKKO, while the best coffee is again at WOG.

Everything is clean even under a microscope

Specialists assumed that hot dog sausages should be exclusively of the highest grade, so in the laboratory they were checked for compliance with these exact standards. According to regulations, the moisture content in such products should not exceed 75% — all participants easily fit within this limit. Additionally, the product was checked for starch content, and again all samples were within normal limits. Such results indicate that gas stations take a serious approach to selecting suppliers of meat products, including sausages.

If moisture and starch analyses show the quality of the hot dog's components, then microbiological tests demonstrate how strictly the seller complies with sanitary requirements during storage. The key result of the check — no sample contained E. coli! One can only hope that this situation will persist into the hotter season.

A slight exceedance of the GOST standard for the number of microorganisms was noticed in two chains — Shell and TNK. However, since hot dogs reach the customer after heat treatment (on grilling surfaces where sausages are constantly rotated), it can be said that all participants passed the test. The most sterile hot dogs turned out to be from WOG and BRSM-nafta (Mr. Grill brand) — their microflora level is almost zero, indicating strict adherence to hygiene and storage rules.

Taste preferences

After confirming that the hot dogs are made from meat and won't harm the stomach, the commission moved on to the most interesting part — tasting. A hot dog is a composite dish, so it's important not only what it consists of but also how harmoniously the bun, sausage, and sauces combine.

Both professional tasters and ordinary drivers tried the "hot dogs." Scores were given on a ten-point scale in both groups. Not everyone earned top marks this time. Experts lowered scores for TNK, Amic, and Shell for the taste and freshness of the buns, as well as the quality of mayonnaise and mustard.

As a result, hot dogs from WOG and BRSM-nafta earned the maximum 10 points — for the excellent taste of both the sausages and buns. This rating was given by both professionals and ordinary customers. Hot dogs from OKKO and LUXWEN were also highly rated, receiving good scores.

Interestingly, all tasting participants liked the "vertical" placement of the sausage in the hot dog, which almost all chains practice — it's very convenient. But at Shell and LUXWEN, the sausage is placed in the bun from the side.

Overall, the skill of making hot dogs at gas stations is growing rapidly. For example, the WOG chain recently introduced an innovation — an "Italian" hot dog on a ciabatta bun, with a sausage containing olive pieces, all complemented by pesto sauce! And you can try it right on the road, far from cities. Moreover, WOG hot dogs and WOG Cafe service have become so popular with customers that they are now also sold on Intercity+ high-speed trains! According to eyewitness accounts, at stations along the route, not only passengers but also local residents come for hot dogs, which probably upsets the vendors selling homemade pies.

Coffee notes

The taste of coffee depends not only on the beans but also on the equipment used to brew it. It turned out that all the tested gas stations are equipped with expensive modern coffee machines, which ensured a decent level of beverages. Experts and ordinary tasters evaluated both espresso and americano. No complaints arose about any drink — all the coffee was aromatic and pleasant to taste. Participants liked the coffee at WOG the most (20 points based on total scores).

Conclusion

Modern gas station complexes are expanding their range of services and product assortment every year. It's gratifying that quantity is turning into quality — this is especially important on long trips. In essence, there is practically no alternative to a quick and satisfying snack on the highway, and even in small towns. And if you add free Wi-Fi, clean restrooms, and polite staff, the only downside remains the distances between gas stations, which in Ukraine are somehow called "roads."

Vasyl Denysenko

TASTING SCORE (Hot dogs)

TASTING SCORE (Coffee, average score for both drinks)

PHYSICO-CHEMICAL INDICATORS

MICROBIOLOGICAL INDICATORS