Pleas to rid bacon and ham of cancer-link chemicals
FOOD and medical experts have joined politicians to demand action over the cancer risk from processed meats like bacon and ham.
In a joint statement, they called for Government action to raise awareness in a similar way to campaigns on the health dangers from sugar and fatty foods.
They cited “a growing consensus of scientific opinion” that putting chemical preservatives, like nitrites, in processed meats results in the production of carcinogenic nitrosamines, which have been linked to bowel cancer.
A 2015 report by the World Health Organisation classed processed meats as a Group 1 carcinogen – or having the potential to cause cancer – which could lead to an extra 34,000 cancer deaths in the world a year.
New analysis suggests that this could mean 6,600 bowel cancer cases in Britain annually.
Professor Chris Elliott, director of Queen’s University Belfast Institute for Global Food Safety, Aseem Malhotra, a senior cardiologist, and Chris Gill, a leading nutritionist at the University of Ulster, have joined politicians including Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson in calling for action on nitrites in food.
They said in a statement: “There is a consensus of scientific opinion that nitrites in processed meats result in the production of carcinogenic nitrosamines, and therefore increase cancer risk for those who regularly consume traditional bacon and ham.
“For these reasons, we are concerned that not enough is being done to raise awareness of nitrites in our processed meat and their health risks, in stark contrast to warnings regularly issued regarding sugar and fattening foods.
“A united and active front is needed from policymakers, the food industry and the cancer care community. We must work together to raise awareness of their risks.”