Red and sausage meats radically increase the chances of developing colon cancer

We have a lot of bad news for those who like a good sausage. In an investigation by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Safety (ANSES), published on Tuesday (12 June), it confirmed the existence of a relationship between the nitrates present in sausages and colon cancer.

Nitrates used in the production of this type of products, to inhibit the proliferation of bacteria and prolong the shelf life, can result in an increased risk of developing colon cancer, but also of contracting diseases such as botulism, listeria or salmonella.

The reduction of the shelf life, in the case of cooked ham; and "a strict control of salt and temperature levels during the salting, rest and curing phases of the product", in the case of dried ham, are examples of what could be done to prevent the development of colon cancer.

France is thus preparing measures to reduce the presence of nitrates in food to what is strictly necessary and indispensable.

In 2015, the World Health Organization had already announced that red or processed meat should be considered group 1 carcinogens, at the same level as tobacco and asbestos. The consumption of 100 grams of red meat increases the risk of developing colon cancer by 17%, while processed meats increase this risk by 18%.