Braunschweiger: liver sausage and its vitamin A load

The closest trials to braunschweiger tested other meat pates. In 22 adults at high cardiovascular risk, 4 weeks of normal-fat pates and frankfurters raised LDL cholesterol, and 4 weeks of reduced-fat versions lowered it, in a small study run in sequential periods. We found no study of braunschweiger itself on any outcome. What sets this sausage apart is the liver in it. USDA lists pork braunschweiger at 4,220 ug of vitamin A and 20.09 ug of vitamin B12 per 3.5 oz (100 g), 469% and 837% of the Daily Value, from one legacy record with no measured spread. By US survey portions a 0.99 oz (28 g) slice of liverwurst carries about 1,180 ug of vitamin A and a 56 g sandwich portion about 2,360 ug, figures recomputed from that same record. That sandwich portion is close to the 3,000 ug adult upper limit for preformed vitamin A, a limit set partly because of birth defects, so pregnancy leads the cautions below.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• USDA lists pork braunschweiger at 4,220 ug of vitamin A and 20.09 ug of vitamin B12 per 3.5 oz (100 g), 469% and 837% of the Daily Value, from a single legacy record. — USDA SR Legacy record Braunschweiger (a liver sausage), pork (n = 1 record) Evidence E source
  Vitamin A 4220 ug RAE (469% DV), vitamin B12 20.09 ug (837% DV), riboflavin 1.525 mg (117% DV) per 3.5 oz (100 g)

What a real portion looks like

• One 0.99 oz (28 g) slice of liverwurst supplies about 1,180 ug of vitamin A, and a 56 g sandwich portion about 2,360 ug, close to the 3,000 ug adult upper limit for preformed vitamin A. — US household measures, FNDDS (n = 1 food code) Evidence E source
  Per slice 28 g: vitamin A 1181.6 ug RAE, B12 5.6 ug, sodium 273.6 mg; per 56 g sandwich: about 2363 ug RAE

What your body absorbs

• In 17 iron-deficient women, 2.8 oz (80 g) of meat pate carrying 19 mg of iron gave similar serum iron curves over 6 hours whichever iron fortificant was used. — 17 women with ferritin below 30 ug/L, three-way randomized double-blind crossover, single 80 g pate meal on bread (n = 17) Evidence B source
  Serum iron peaked at 2-4 h; no significant difference by fortificant type

What it does to your health

• In 22 adults at high cardiovascular risk, 4 weeks of normal-fat pates and frankfurters raised LDL cholesterol, while reduced-fat versions lowered it. — 22 volunteers at increased cardiovascular risk, three 4-week periods with 4-week washouts (n = 22) Evidence B source
  LDL rose after normal-fat products (p = 0.040) and fell after reduced-fat (p = 0.012); LDL 12% lower after n-3 reduced-fat vs normal-fat
• Adding 100 g a day of a canned pork heart and aorta pate to a low-calorie diet for about 4 weeks left total cholesterol significantly different from diet alone in 36 older adults. — 36 adults aged 61-66 with BMI 26.4-60.7, low-calorie diet with or without the pate for 28-30 days (n = 36) Evidence B source
  Total cholesterol difference vs control p = 0.018, mainly LDL (p = 0.005)
• In 18 men at cardiovascular risk, 4 weeks of normal-fat pates and frankfurters raised LDL, fibrinogen, insulin and HOMA-IR. — 18 male volunteers at high CVD risk, blind crossover, three 4-week periods (n = 18) Evidence C source
  LDL, fibrinogen, TXB2, insulin and HOMA-IR increased (p < 0.05) in the normal-fat period

Safety, limits and interactions

• NIH sets the adult upper limit for preformed vitamin A, the form in liver, at 3,000 ug a day, based partly on teratogenic effects. — NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin A fact sheet for health professionals Evidence E source
  UL 3000 ug/day preformed vitamin A for adults 19+, including pregnancy
• CDC lists refrigerated pate or meat spreads as a riskier choice in pregnancy because of Listeria, and shelf-stable sealed ones as the safer choice. — pregnant women, US CDC food safety guidance Evidence E source
  Riskier: refrigerated pate or meat spreads; safer: sealed, airtight, shelf-stable containers
• CDC advises pregnant women, adults 65 and older and people with a weakened immune system to avoid refrigerated pâté or meat spreads, such as spreadable braunschweiger, and to choose shelf-stable ones in sealed containers instead. — people at higher risk of listeriosis: pregnant women, adults 65 and older, people with a weakened immune system Evidence E source
  Avoid refrigerated pate or meat spreads, choose shelf-stable pate or spreads in sealed airtight containers
• Braunschweiger is a liver sausage, and NIH names liver as one of the richest sources of preformed vitamin A. NIH sets the upper limit for preformed vitamin A, counting food and supplements together, at 600 mcg a day for children aged 1 to 3 and 3,000 mcg for adults, and warns that intakes above it can cause birth defects. — children by age band, adults, and women who are or might be pregnant or are lactating Evidence E source
  UL for preformed vitamin A from food plus supplements: 600 mcg to age 3, 900 mcg at 4-8, 1,700 mcg at 9-13, 2,800 mcg at 14-18, 3,000 mcg from 19 (pregnancy and lactation included); intakes above the UL can cause birth defects of the eye, skull, lungs and heart

What is still unknown

• UK tables give liver sausage 2,600 ug retinol and 10 ug B12 per 3.5 oz (100 g), about half the USDA figures for braunschweiger, and neither source explains the gap. — CoFID 2021 code 19-106 Liver sausage vs USDA SR Legacy FDC 171621 (n = 1 record each) Evidence E source
  Retinol 2600 ug vs 4220 ug RAE; B12 10.0 ug vs 20.09 ug; sodium 810 mg; iron 6.00 mg; fat 16.7 g

The bottom line

These trials tested fat content and fortification, and none used a liver sausage. In 18 men at cardiovascular risk from the same research program, the normal-fat period also raised fibrinogen, insulin and HOMA-IR, with randomization not stated. In 36 adults aged 61 to 66 on a low-calorie diet, adding 100 g a day of a canned pate made from pork heart and aorta for about 4 weeks left total cholesterol significantly different from diet alone, mainly through LDL, in a small open-label trial. The quoted abstract does not state the direction. In 17 iron-deficient women, 2.8 oz (80 g) of an iron-fortified meat pate on bread gave similar serum iron curves over 6 hours whichever fortificant was used, and serum iron is a crude proxy for absorption. The reference tables disagree. UK tables give liver sausage 2,600 ug retinol and 10 ug B12 per 3.5 oz (100 g), about half the USDA figures, and neither source explains the gap. The share of liver varies between recipes. The UK row lists 810 mg sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g), and one US slice of liverwurst carries about 274 mg. Who should be careful. Pregnancy comes first. NIH notes that the upper limits for preformed vitamin A apply to food as well as supplements, and that they rest partly on birth defects and on toxic effects in infants and children. A single sandwich portion of liverwurst carries about 2,360 ug of it. The 3,000 ug figure is the adult limit, and we have no card on the lower limits set for children. CDC lists refrigerated pate or meat spreads among the riskier choices for pregnant women, with sealed shelf-stable versions as the safer ones. We have no card on braunschweiger with medicines.

Sources

1. brsw-r5-05 · USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy, dataset
   Braunschweiger (a liver sausage), pork (FDC 171621, SR Legacy, Sausages and Luncheon Meats): vitamin B12 20.09 ug = 837% DV; vitamin A 4220 ug RAE = 469% DV; riboflavin 1.525 mg = 117% DV; Foundation samples 0
   USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC 171621 · checked 2026-09-29
2. brsw-r5-07 · reference dataset
   FNDDS 25230560 Liverwurst (fdc 2706213): Vitamin A, RAE 4220 ug/100 g, 1 slice 28 g 1181.6 ug; Vitamin B-12 20.09 ug/100 g, 1 slice 5.6 ug; Sodium 977 mg/100 g, 1 slice 273.6 mg; Guideline amount on regular sandwich 56 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, food code 25230560 · checked 2026-09-29
3. brsw-r5-01 · RCT
   Seventeen women with low iron stores (ferritin <30 microg/L) took part in a three-way, randomized, crossover, double-blind postprandial intervention. Test meals consisted of 80 g of the three different enriched meat pate products, which were spread on two slices of white bread. ... Serum iron concentration evolution during the postprandial study was similar with the three meals, and maximum concentrations were obtained between hours 2 and 4.
   Nutrition, 2009 · checked 2026-09-29
4. brsw-r5-02 · RCT
   Compared to baseline, LDL-cholesterol decreased significantly (p = 0.012) during the RF period ... LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.040) and oxidized LDL (p = 0.016) increased significantly after NF product consumption
   Eur J Nutr, 2014 · checked 2026-09-29
5. brsw-r5-03 · RCT
   Adults (61-66 years old) with a body mass index of 26.4-60.7 kg/m2 (n = 36) were randomly divided into two groups: one group consumed a low-calorie diet (LCD), while the other consumed an LCD with the developed meat product (MP) for 28-30 days. ... The difference in total cholesterol was significantly different (p = 0.018) from that of the control group, mainly due to the difference in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.005).
   Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 · checked 2026-09-29
6. brsw-r5-04 · controlled clinical trial
   LDL-cholesterol, fibrinogen, TXB2, insulin, and Homostatic Model Assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) increased (at least p < 0.05) and QUICKI (Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index) decreased (p < 0.05) during the NF period.
   J Am Coll Nutr, 2019 · checked 2026-09-29
7. brsw-r5-08 · agency fact sheet
   The FNB has established ULs for preformed vitamin A that apply to both food and supplement intakes [5]. The FNB based these ULs on the amounts associated with an increased risk of liver abnormalities in men and women, teratogenic effects, and several toxic effects in infants and children.
   NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin A Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-09-29
8. brsw-r5-09 · agency guidance
   Refrigerated pâté or meat spreads
   CDC, Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
9. sf-lis-r5-1 · agency advice
   You may be at higher risk if you are in one of the following groups: Women who are pregnant ... People who are 65 years or older ... People who have a weakened immune system ... Refrigerated pâté or meat spreads ... Pâté or meat spreads in sealed, airtight containers that don't need to be kept refrigerated before opening
   US CDC, Preventing Listeria Infection · checked 2026-10-08
10. sf-vita-r4-6 · agency advice
    Concentrations of preformed vitamin A are highest in liver, fish, eggs, and dairy products [1]. ... The FNB has established ULs for preformed vitamin A that apply to both food and supplement intakes [5]. The FNB based these ULs on the amounts associated with an increased risk of liver abnormalities in men and women, teratogenic effects, and several toxic effects in infants and children. ... Birth to 12 months 600 mcg 600 mcg 1–3 years 600 mcg 600 mcg 4–8 years 900 mcg 900 mcg 9–13 years 1,700 mcg 1,700 mcg 14–18 years 2,800 mcg 2,800 mcg 2,800 mcg 2,800 mcg 19+ years 3,000 mcg 3,000 mcg 3,000 mcg 3,000 mcg ... Total intakes of preformed vitamin A that exceed the UL as well as some retinoid medications used as topical therapies (such as isotretinoin, used to treat severe acne, and etretinate, a treatment for severe psoriasis) can cause congenital birth defects [1]. These birth defects can include malformations of the eye, skull, lungs, and heart [14]. Experts advise women who are or might be pregnant and those who are lactating not to take high doses (more than 3,000 mcg RAE [10,000 IU] daily) of vitamin A supplements [1].
    NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin A and Carotenoids Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-10-08
11. brsw-r5-06 · CoFID 2021 and USDA SR Legacy, dataset
    CoFID 19-106 Liver sausage: Retinol 2600 ug, Vitamin B12 10.0 ug, Iron 6.00 mg, Sodium 810 mg, Fat 16.7 g, Satd FA 5.30 g, Protein 13.4 g, Energy 226 kcal per 100 g
    CoFID 2021 (Public Health England, OGL v3.0), code 19-106; USDA SR Legacy FDC 171621 · checked 2026-09-29