A coalition of scientists is calling for a ban on processed meats such as bacon, ham, and sausages, warning that nitrite preservatives used in their production are directly linked to tens of thousands of preventable cancer cases.
The group says inaction from government regulators has allowed a public health crisis to grow while food manufacturers continue using the additives to keep meat pink and long-lasting.
The additives are often included in lower-quality processed meats that are typically imported from foreign sources and require longer shelf lives.
Scientists say the practice carries deadly consequences.
According to data from the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute, approximately 142,000 Americans are diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer each year.
Researchers estimate that thousands of those cases are linked to nitrite-cured meats commonly found in grocery stores.
The warning comes ten years after the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) officially classified processed meats as a Group 1 carcinogen, placing them in the same category as tobacco and asbestos.
Despite that classification, U.S. regulators have failed to impose restrictions on nitrites or require warning labels.
Professor Chris Elliott, founder of the Institute for Global Food Security and a leading voice in the movement to ban nitrites, said the delay has come at a devastating cost.
“A decade on from the WHO report, governments have done virtually nothing to reduce exposure to nitrites — the curing agents that make these products pink and long-lasting but also create nitrosamines, compounds known to trigger cancer,” Elliott said.
“Every year of delay means more preventable cancers, more families affected, and greater strain on healthcare systems.”
The scientists who contributed to the WHO’s 2015 findings have renewed their call for action, urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to consider banning nitrites in processed meats and requiring front-of-package warnings about the cancer risk.
Their landmark analysis, which reviewed data from more than 800 studies, found that eating just 50 grams of processed meat a day, about two strips of bacon, increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent.
Professor Robert Turesky of the University of Minnesota, who co-authored the original WHO report, said the evidence is now overwhelming.
“When the IARC report was published in 2015, evidence linking processed meat to cancer was strong,” Turesky said.
“A decade later, it is even stronger, and many preventable cancers have likely occurred.
“The evidence now calls for public health action.”
Researchers say the combination of nitrates and certain processing methods used in meats like bacon, ham, and sausages can create carcinogenic compounds when consumed.
Up to 90 percent of store-bought bacon in the U.S. contains nitrites, which scientists have linked not only to colorectal cancer but also to breast and prostate cancers.
The coalition is urging the federal government to fund a transition to safer alternatives already used by some smaller producers who make “nitrite-free” or “uncured” bacon, now a small but growing segment of the market.
Professor Elliott said that the meat industry has no excuse for inaction.
“Manufacturers should adopt natural curing alternatives already proven safe and effective,” he said.
“Every year of delay means more preventable cancer, more families affected, and greater strain on healthcare systems.”
Health experts emphasize that the concern lies specifically with processed and chemically treated meats, not with fresh, high-quality, pasture-raised meat.
Unprocessed beef, pork, and poultry that are naturally sourced and properly cooked remain nutritious and safe to eat, providing essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
Nutritionists continue to recommend well-sourced meat as part of a balanced diet, while limiting or avoiding industrially processed meats that rely on chemical preservatives.
Both the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund recommend eating very little, if any, processed meat, citing its strong association with cancer risk.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists colorectal cancer as the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.
Common symptoms include changes in bowel habits, persistent diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, and blood in the stool.
Recent global data has also revealed a troubling trend, showing that colon cancer is rising sharply among younger adults, particularly those under 50.
Public health experts say the evidence is now too strong to ignore: unless action is taken, thousands more Americans could face a cancer diagnosis linked directly to what’s on their grocery store shelves.
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