A scientist criticizes the lack of response to a study on the risks of cancer of treated meat

A leading scientist, who co-authored a report on the link between cancer and processed meats such as bacon and ham, blamed the government for failing to follow through on its findings.

The response of British and European politicians since the publication of the World Health Organization (WHO) study four years ago was "unsatisfactory" and "a breach of duty," said the Professor Denis Corpet.

In a letter to Health Secretary Matt Hanbad and the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, he urged officials to take action to rid the treated meat of chemicals called nitrites.

Research suggests that the addition of nitrites leads to the production of carcinogenic nitrosamines and is believed to be responsible for bowel cancer, Professor Corpet said.

In its 2015 report, the WHO clbadified processed meats as Group 1 carcinogens, which could cause an additional 34,000 cancer deaths worldwide each year.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has stated that nitrites are used as preservatives in some meat products and that legislation ensures that they are kept as low as possible.

"The failure of governments around the world to embark on this public health scandal is nothing short of a failure to duty – both in terms of the number of cancer cases that could be avoided by eliminating nitrites from processed meats – and potential for reducing pressure on public health services that are increasingly under-funded and under-funded, "wrote Professor Corpet.

In December, a group of leading politicians and scientists called for an awareness campaign to raise public awareness of the risk posed by chemicals.

Professor Corpet, co-author of the WHO report, endorsed their call, adding that emphasis should be placed on raising awareness of the risks of cooked ham because of its popularity with Pupils.

"It is certainly the responsibility of your administrations to educate parents about the risks of ham in their children's lunchbox – and to facilitate the growth of a safe program for nitrites," he said. he writes.

A spokeswoman for the FSA said: "These additives are used as preservatives in some meat products to inhibit microbial growth, including Clostridium botulinum, a life-threatening bacterium.

"The strict legislation we have put in place ensures that usage levels are monitored and at the lowest possible level to fulfill the required function.

"In 2017, the European Food Safety Authority rebadessed their safety and concluded that, in the worst case, the exposure is within safe limits for all population groups, at the same time. exception of a slight overshoot in children whose diet is rich in all foods containing these additives.

"We continue to monitor developments, including the committee of international experts working on a comprehensive review of global consumption."

Emma Shields, of Cancer Research UK, said: "The addition of nitrites and nitrates to our food is one of the ways that processed meats are thought to increase the risk of cancer. It is therefore regulated by the FSA.

"But there are other reasons why these meats could also increase cancer, such as smoking and cooking at high temperatures.

"Instead of going through all the ingredients in the package, it's much easier to just reduce the amount of processed meat you consume."