Processed Meat Chemicals Under Scrutiny as Bowel Cancer Rises
By Cameron Henderson, The Telegraph
The Telegraph reports that Prof Chris Elliott, founder of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast, is pointing to nitrates and nitrites used in processed meats as a possible contributor to the sharp rise in bowel cancer among younger adults. Early-onset bowel cancer has increased substantially worldwide since 1990, with UK rates estimated to have risen by around 60 percent.
Nitrates and nitrites are added to products such as bacon and ham to extend shelf life and preserve their pink color. Elliott says a growing body of evidence suggests these additives may contribute to cancer and argues that regulators should require warning labels. He distinguishes processed meat from unprocessed red meat, which he says can be beneficial when eaten in appropriate amounts.
The UK Food Standards Agency disputes the focus on the additives themselves. It says nitrates and nitrites are tightly regulated and that current evidence associates cancer risk with red and processed meat overall rather than specifically with the preservatives.
Meanwhile, researchers at King’s College London and Zoe are launching a 250,000-person study to investigate how changes in diet, lifestyle and environmental exposures may be driving the increase in bowel cancer among younger people.
