Leading experts are urging for a prohibition on supermarket bacon and ham due to concerns over chemicals used in their production, which are linked to over 50,000 cases of bowel cancer in the UK. Nitrites, the preservatives responsible for maintaining the pink color and extending the shelf life of processed meats, are estimated to cause approximately 5,400 cases annually, with treatment costs averaging £59,000 per patient and totaling £3 billion for the NHS over the last decade. This call for action follows the classification of processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), placing it in the same high-risk category as tobacco and asbestos.
Despite the acknowledged risks, minimal steps have been taken by ministers to reduce public exposure to nitrites, according to Professor Chris Elliot OBE, founder of the Institute for Global Food Security and former government adviser. The prolonged use of nitrites has resulted in a significant human and financial burden, prompting scientists to advocate for immediate measures to prevent further preventable cancers. Their recommendations, based on data from Cancer Research UK and the British Journal of Cancer, highlight the concealed costs associated with the UK’s reliance on processed meats.
In a letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, the experts are urging for a ban on nitrites in processed meats, and have also reached out to the European Union’s health and food safety commissioner to push for similar actions, acknowledging the EU’s initial steps in reducing permitted nitrite levels. A groundbreaking report from 2015, analyzing data from over 800 studies, revealed that the consumption of 50g of processed meat daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. The combination of nitrites and processing methods used in products like bacon, ham, and sausages generates carcinogenic compounds, with an estimated 90% of bacon in the UK containing nitrites, which have been associated with bowel, prostate, and breast cancer.
Professor Robert Turesky from the University of Minnesota, a contributor to the original WHO report, emphasized that the evidence supporting the dangers of nitrites has strengthened over the past decade, leading to a call for public health intervention. Scientists are advocating for clear labeling on processed meat packaging to warn consumers about nitrite-cured products and their cancer risks. Long-term goals include phasing out nitrites and implementing regulatory measures to ensure compliance, along with providing funding to assist smaller producers in transitioning to safer alternatives. Currently, nitrite-free options, such as “naked” bacon, represent only 5-10% 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 cases in the US. Symptoms to watch for include changes in bowel habits, stomach pain, bloating, unexpected weight loss, fatigue, and blood in the stool.