Daily Mail

‘Cancer chemical in ham pointless’

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CHEMICALS linked to cancer in processed ham and bacon do not need to be used, a leaked report has revealed.

Many of the meats on supermarke­t shelves contain nitrites – which are both a powerful preservati­ve and are supposed to kill botulinum bacteria, which can cause food poisoning.

However, research for the British Meat Processors Associatio­n by the scientific consultanc­y Campden has revealed that nitrites do not attack the bug.

Some brands produce bacon, ham and sausages using traditiona­l processes without the controvers­ial chemicals.

But there are concerns that other food companies use nitrites because they maintain the meat’s pink colour, which is deemed to be more appealing for shoppers.

A 2015 study backed by the World Health Organisati­on first linked nitrite-cured processed meats to cancer.

Baroness Walmsley, vice-chairman of Parliament’s all-party group on cancer, said: ‘This evidence raises serious questions about why nitrites are being added to our bacon and ham.’

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