Bacon, burgers and sausages are as big a cancer threat as cigarettes, global health chiefs warned today.A new World Health Organisation report has classified processed meat as carcinogenic alongside arsenic and asbestos.
Officials said just 50g of processed meat a day – less than one sausage – increases the risk of bowel cancer by almost a fifth.
The report also classified red meat as ‘probably carcinogenic’ – one rank below – but added that it had some nutritional benefits.
Experts are now urging the public to avoid processed meat where possible and to have a bean salad for lunch rather than a BLT.
