Consumption of processed meats such as hot dogs, bacon and deli meats increases the risk of cancer—and eating red meat probably causes cancer as well—the World Health Organization said on Monday, Oct. 26.
After a thorough review, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer agency of WHO, has classified processed meats—meats that have been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation—as “carcinogenic to humans.” The agency was clear in its message adding experts concluded each 50g portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.