THE ESSENTIAL
- To limit exposure to nitrates and nitrites, it is recommended to consume less than 150 g of cold cuts per week and to favor a varied diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
- According to ANSES, we are exposed to 99% nitrites through food and in particular charcuterie, whether artisanal or industrial.
- Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death for all sexes in France.
Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast warn of nitrites in processed meats. Their study, published in the scientific journal NPJ Science of Food on December 28, 2022, shows that mice fed frankfurters containing this preservative had more gastrointestinal tumors than those fed nitrite-free meats.
Nitrites: a risk of gastrointestinal tumor increased by 53%
The link between nitrites and an increased risk of colorectal cancer has been highlighted by several studies in recent years. However, the Belfast scientists noticed that the animals taking part in this research were generally fed high amounts of nitrites. They thus wanted to verify the effects of the preservative if it is consumed moderately.
For this experiment, mice were fed either frankfurters containing nitrites, or nitrite-free sausages, or nitrite-free pork. These meats represented 15% of their diet. This is an amount close to a standard human diet. After 8 weeks, rodents fed frankfurters with nitrite had 53% more gastrointestinal tumors than the control group.
“This clearly demonstrates that low dietary quantities (of nitrite, editor’s note) can exacerbate the disease”wrote the authors in their article.
Asked by The Guardian, Chris Elliot, director of the Institute for Global Food Safety at Queen’s University, added: “The results of this new study make even clearer the cancer risk associated with nitrite jerky. The daily consumption of bacon and ham containing nitrite poses a very real risk to public health.”
Nitrites and colorectal cancer: conclusions similar to those of ANSES
ANSES also warned against nitrites and nitrates present in our food last July and recommended reducing their use during product preparation.
“ANSES has analyzed the scientific publications in oncology published since the reference work of EFSA (2017) and IARC (2018). It confirms the existence of an association between the risk of colorectal cancer and exposure nitrites and/or nitrates, whether ingested through the consumption of processed meat, or through drinking water consumption The higher the exposure to these compounds, the higher the risk of colorectal cancer. in the population”explains the communiqué.