The report from the
WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) now labels processed
meats as “carcinogenic to humans,” meaning their consumption can cause cancer.
The report also classifies red meat as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
What counts as red meat? What counts as
processed meat?
Red meat is any meat that comes from a
mammal. That means meat from cows (beef and veal), pigs (pork), sheep (lamb and
mutton), horses, goats and bison all count as red meat.
White meats come from fish and poultry.
The color difference is dictated by the amount of blood in the tissue, which
plays into why red meat is more likely to cause cancer.
Processed meats are any meats that aren’t
fresh. People typically think of processed meat as only referring to pork and
beef, but this category can also include poultry (chicken, turkey, duck) and
fish. A processed meat, according to the WHO panel, has been modified from its
natural state, either “through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other
processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation.”
This includes sausages, hot dogs, corned
beef, beef jerky, canned meat, meat sauces, lunch meats and bacon.
The WHO group “classified consumption of
processed meat as ‘carcinogenic to humans’ on the basis of sufficient evidence
for colorectal cancer.” Colorectal cancer is the second most lethal form of
cancer in the U.S., causing nearly 50,000 deaths per year according to the National Cancer Institute. Processed meat was also linked to a higher
incidence of stomach cancer.
Red meat carries a slightly lower risk,
the group says, but is still “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Aside from the “strong
mechanistic evidence” related to colorectal cancer, the “consumption of red
meat was also positively associated with pancreatic and with prostate cancer.
How does processed meat compare to smoking
and other carcinogens?
The IARC deals in strength of evidence.
For this agency, scientific evidence either points to a compound causing cancer
in humans or it doesn’t. To classify carcinogenic status, it separates agents
into five groups:
Group 1 – carcinogenic to humans
Group 2A – proba
Group 2B – possibly carcinogenic to humans
Group 3- not classifiable
Group 4 – probably not carcinogenic
Of the millions of chemicals in the world,
the WHO only 118 agents fall into group 1. This group includes tobacco smoke, asbestos,
aflatoxins (a chemical sometimes found in organic peanut butter), coal
emissions from indoor stoves and as of this morning, processed meat.
For more information the Who provides a helpful Q&A on the carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat on their web site.
For more information the Who provides a helpful Q&A on the carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat on their web site.
