WHO clarifies its stance on meat

The World Health Organisation has sought to clarify its stance on the link between processed meat and colorectal cancer, saying it was not asking people to stop eating the products.

Earlier this week, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) said: “Processed meat was classified as carcinogenic to humans, based on sufficient evidence in humans that the consumption of processed meat causes colorectal cancer.”

There was a suggestion that just 50g a day of processed meat, such as bacon, sausage and ham — the equivalent of less than two slices of bacon — increased the chance of developing colorectal cancer by 18%.