International Agency Classifies Processed Meat As A Carcinogen

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a part of the World Health Organization, last week classified processed meat as a human carcinogen and red meat as a probable human carcinogen. A majority of a 22-member IARC panel found sufficient evidence to link colorectal cancer to the consumption of processed red meat and poultry; daily consumption of 50 g of processed meat increases risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. IARC, however, stresses the benefits of meat consumption and that cancer risk is small compared with tobacco smoke and other carcinogens. It adds that the risk increases with amount of meat consumed. Because of the large number of people consuming processed meat in particular, the global impact is of public health importance, hence IARC’s determination. The agency’s conclusion is based on some 800 studies, conducted over 20 years, which investigated associations of cancer types with red and processed meat consumption. Scientists associated with the U.S. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association immediately criticized the determination and pointed to other studies that contradicted the classification.