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Iarc, linked to the WHO, was responsible for the evaluation, which took into account more than 800 publications

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The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC - its acronym in English), linked to the World Health Organization (WHO), released its assessment of the risks of consumption of red meat and processed meat. And you can tell they're pretty tall.

According to the organization, processed meat, such as sausage, ham and salami, can be considered carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), as well as products with tobacco, alcohol and asbestos. Red meat, on the other hand, was allocated to Group 2A - probably carcinogenic to humans. An Iarc working group, composed of 22 experts from ten countries, reviewed much of the accumulated scientific literature on the topic to write a report that will be published in volume 114 of the Iarc Monographs.

Red meat

Experts have concluded that it is likely to be carcinogenic to humans. The assessment was based on limited evidence that consumption of the food causes cancer in humans, and strong evidence that it has carcinogenic effects.

The most observed association in this case was with colorectal cancer, but relationships were also observed with pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer. Red meat, according to the agency, refers to all muscle cuts of mammals, such as pork, beef, lamb, goat, sheep and horse.

processed meat

Processed meat, on the other hand, has been classified as carcinogenic to humans based on sufficient evidence to demonstrate that consumption of this type of food causes colorectal cancer.

According to experts in the working group that carried out the assessment, each 50-gram serving of processed meat eaten per day increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. "For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer from processed meat consumption remains small, but the risk increases with the amount of meat consumed," said Dr. Kurt Straif, leader of the Iarc Monographs Program .,

Processed meat, for Iarc, refers to meat that has undergone transformations such as salting, curing, fermentation, smoking and other processes to change flavor or improve conservation. Among the most famous foods that are part of this group are sausage, bacon, sausage, ham and even turkey breast (which is not red meat).

Public health

"Given the huge amount of people consuming processed meat, the global impact on cancer incidence is a public health issue," Straif said. The Iarc working group analyzed more than 800 studies that investigated associations of more than 12 types of cancer with the consumption of red meat or processed meat in many countries, which have varied diets. The most obvious influences came from large group studies conducted over the past 20 years.

For the director of Iarc, Christopher Wild, "these findings guide public health recommendations about limiting the consumption of meat".

To learn more about processed meat, go to "Processed meat: what is it, what are its health risks and environmental impacts?". If you want to start a vegetarian diet, click here. And to learn more about Iarc, click here.