The cancer research arm of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has linked the consumption of processed and red meats to cancer and advised people to moderate meat consumption. In a report published on October 26, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified processed meat “as carcinogenic to humans” (Group 1), based on “sufficient evidence” that the consumption of processed meat increases the risk of bowel cancer. Processed meats such as ham or sausages are transformed through salting, curing, smoking or other processes to enhance flavour or improve preservation. The experts concluded that each 50 gram portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. “For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed,” says Dr Kurt Straif, Head of the IARC programme responsible for the findings. “In view of the large number of people who consume processed meat, the global impact on cancer incidence is of public health importance.” Eating red meat like beef, pork and lamb was classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A) because there was “limited evidence” available that the consumption of red meat causes cancer in humans and “strong mechanistic evidence supporting a carcinogenic effect. A working group of 22 experts from ten countries reviewed more than 800 scientific studies in many countries and populations with diverse diets to evaluate the carcinogenicity of red and processed meat. Processed meat is now in the same group as tobacco or asbestos, but the classification is based on the strength of evidence of a link with cancer, not on the risk level. While 34,000 cancer deaths per year worldwide are attributable to diets high in processed meat, cancer due to tobacco smoking is killing one million people per year. The meat industry reacted with outrage to the report and accused the cancer experts of scaremongering. This induced the WHO to clarify that “the latest IARC review does not ask people to stop eating processed meats but indicates that reducing consumption of these products can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer”. The British Nutrition Foundation recommends limiting the consumption of processed meat and eating no more than 500g of red meat a week - equivalent to 70g per day. According dietary surveys, men in the UK eat 88g of red meat per day while women eat 52g. However, around 33% of the population have more than 100g of red meat a day. (ab)