Scientists Urge UK to Label Processed Meat as Cancer Risk

Scientists are calling for cigarette-style warning labels on bacon and ham sold in the United Kingdom, citing significant health risks associated with nitrites found in these processed meats. This demand coincides with the tenth anniversary of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration that processed meat is carcinogenic to humans, placing it alongside substances like tobacco and asbestos.

The push for labeling comes as experts criticize successive British governments for failing to take effective measures to mitigate the risks posed by nitrites, which are used to cure and preserve these meats. Since the WHO’s classification in October 2015, it is estimated that around 54,000 people in the UK have developed bowel cancer linked to these products, resulting in costs of approximately £3 billion for the National Health Service (NHS).

Denis Corpet, an emeritus professor of food safety and nutrition at Toulouse University, is among the four scientists who have reached out to Wes Streeting, the UK Health Secretary, urging immediate action. They suggest that the government should mandate warning labels on the 90% to 95% of bacon and ham products containing nitrites, similar to the warnings on cigarette packaging.

“Consumers deserve clear information. Most people don’t realize that the WHO classifies nitrite-cured meats like bacon and ham in the same carcinogenic category as tobacco and asbestos,” Corpet stated. He emphasized that it is the responsibility of ministers to protect public health and mitigate the risks associated with these products.

The IARC reported in 2015 that an analysis of data from ten studies indicated that consuming 50 grams of processed meat daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by about 18%. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) supports this view, stating that there is clear evidence linking processed meat consumption to an increased risk of colorectal cancer.

Kate Oldridge-Turner, head of policy and public affairs at WCRF, noted, “This is through a complex set of reactions occurring in the body when processed meat is eaten, including the nitrites added during processing forming carcinogenic chemicals.” While she did not endorse the scientists’ call for warning labels, she recommended that dietary guidelines emphasize limited consumption of processed meats and promote healthier food options, particularly in public settings like schools.

Prof Chris Elliott, a former government adviser on food safety and another signatory of the letter to Streeting, criticized the lack of action from the UK government. He stated, “A decade on from the WHO report, the UK government has done virtually nothing to reduce exposure to nitrites, the curing agents that make these products pink and long-lasting but also create nitrosamines, compounds known to trigger cancer.”

The scientists’ letter, organized by the Coalition Against Nitrites, urges the government to phase out nitrites in processed meat production over the coming years. They argue that every year of inaction leads to more preventable cancers, affecting families and increasing the strain on the NHS.

The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for a response to these claims and calls for action. As the conversation surrounding food safety and public health continues, the implications of processed meat consumption remain a pressing issue for both consumers and policymakers in the UK.