Leading experts are urging for a prohibition on bacon and ham in supermarkets due to the association of chemicals used in their processing with over 50,000 cases of bowel cancer in the UK. Nitrites, which preserve processed meats, are estimated to be responsible for approximately 5,400 cases annually, costing the NHS around £3 billion over the past ten years. The World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen, alongside tobacco and asbestos. Despite this, there has been minimal government action to reduce public exposure to these risks, according to Professor Chris Elliot OBE.
The ongoing use of nitrites in processed meats has resulted in significant human and financial consequences, prompting scientists to advocate for immediate measures to prevent further avoidable cancers. Their findings, based on data from Cancer Research UK and the British Journal of Cancer, highlight the hidden costs of the UK’s reliance on processed meats.
In a letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, the experts are calling for a ban on nitrites in processed meats and have also approached the European Union’s health and food safety commissioner for similar actions. They emphasize that nitrites, combined with processing methods in products like bacon and sausages, produce cancer-causing compounds. It is believed that up to 90% of bacon sold in the UK contains nitrites, linked to bowel, prostate, and breast cancer.
Professor Robert Turesky, from the University of Minnesota, a contributor to the WHO report, stated that the evidence supporting the risks of processed meats is stronger now than a decade ago, underscoring the need for public health interventions. Scientists recommend clear labeling on processed meat packaging to warn consumers of nitrite-cured products and their cancer risks. They are also pushing for the gradual elimination of nitrites, supported by regulatory measures to ensure compliance and financial assistance for smaller producers transitioning to safer alternatives. Currently, nitrite-free meat products, such as “naked” bacon, constitute only a small fraction of the market.
Bowel cancer ranks as the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with approximately 44,000 new cases annually and 142,000 in the US. Symptoms to watch for include changes in bowel habits, stomach pain, bloating, weight loss, and fatigue.