Suzan Hamer Nov 22, 2015:

Links (no pun intended) Choking Prevention.
Avoid round, firm foods and chunks (hot dogs, nuts, meat/cheese chunks, whole grapes, hard or sticky candy, popcorn, raw carrots, other firm, raw fruit or vegetable chunks).
Hot dogs are not healthy or safe for babies. If your toddler likes hot dogs, get a nitrite- and nitrate-free variety, and cut it in long, noodle-like strips.
http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/choking.htm


Hot dogs. If you must serve them, remove the peel (it’s a choking hazard) and julienne into slim pieces.
http://www.parentgiving.com/elder-care/avoiding-everyday-cho...

So "unmashed" should probably mean something like "not cut into strips, or suitably-sized pieces or strips."

Suzan Hamer Nov 22, 2015:

I see the word "CHOKING" so I imagine we are choking of choking risks. Things not to give children because there is a great risk they may choke on them. So I would then imagine the correct word is not "unmashed" but "uncut", not sliced.
The risk of a child chocking on a small slice of hot dog is apparently smaller than on an uncut one. However, this raises the question of what child could possibly get a whole hot dog in their mouth?

Sheila Wilson Nov 22, 2015:

Context? What links these things together? What is said about them? The sentences before and/or after would be handy too.