Red meat refers to all mammalian muscle meat, including, beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse, and goat.
Processed meat is meat that has been changed in some way, like by salting, curing, fermenting, smoking, or other methods, to make it taste better or last longer. Most processed meats are made with pork or beef, but they can also be made with other red meats, poultry, offal, or meat by-products like blood.
Fried dogs, ham, sausages, corned beef, biltong (beef jerky), and canned meat are all examples of processed meat. So are meat-based dishes and sauces.
In 2014, a meeting of an international advisory committee suggested that the IARC Monographs Program give red meat and processed meat the most attention. This advice came from epidemiological studies that showed eating a lot of red or processed meat may be linked to small increases in the risk of a number of cancers. Even though these risks are small, they could be important for public health because a lot of people eat meat and the amount of meat eaten is rising in low- and middle-income countries. Some health groups already say that people should eat less meat, but their advice is mostly meant to lower the risk of other diseases. Due to this, it was important for IARC to provide reliable scientific proof about the cancer risks of eating red meat and processed meat.
There are more polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic aromatic amines in food that is cooked at high temperatures or with the food touching a flame or a hot surface, like when you grill or fry something in a pan. But the IARC Working Group did not have enough information to say for sure if the way meat is cooked changes the risk of cancer.
There were no data to address this question in relation to cancer risk. But it’s also important to think about the separate question of the risk of getting sick from eating raw meat.
When it comes to red meat, the classification is based on strong mechanistic evidence as well as limited evidence from epidemiological studies showing a link between eating red meat and getting colorectal cancer.
For example, if there is limited evidence, it means that there is a link between being exposed to the agent and getting cancer, but it is also possible that the observations could have been caused by chance, bias, or confounding.
This category is used when there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans. In other words, there is convincing evidence that the agent causes cancer. The evaluation is usually based on epidemiological studies showing the development of cancer in exposed humans.
For processed meat, this classification is based on enough epidemiological evidence to show that eating processed meat can lead to colorectal cancer.
No, processed meat is in the same group as some things that cause cancer, like asbestos and tobacco (IARC Group 1, carcinogenic to humans), but that doesn’t mean they are all equally dangerous. When the IARC rates an agent, they talk about how strong the scientific evidence is that it causes cancer. They don’t rate the level of risk.
The strongest, but still limited, evidence for an association with eating red meat is for colorectal cancer. There is also evidence of links with pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer.
The IARC Working Group concluded that eating processed meat causes colorectal cancer. An association with stomach cancer was also seen, but the evidence is not conclusive.
The latest estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Project, an independent academic research group, say that eating a lot of processed meat causes about 34,000 cancer deaths each year around the world.
Eating red meat has not yet been established as a cause of cancer. But if the reported links were shown to be causal, the Global Burden of Disease Project says that eating a lot of red meat could be the cause of 50,000 cancer deaths a year around the world.
On the other hand, about 1 million people die each year from cancer because they smoke, 600,000 die each year because they drink too much, and more than 200,000 die each year because of air pollution.
In the studies that were looked at, eating processed meat was linked to a small rise in the risk of getting cancer. In those studies, the risk generally increased with the amount of meat consumed. A review of data from 2010 studies found that eating about 20% more processed meat every day raises the risk of colon cancer by about 18%.
It is harder to guess how much red meat you might be putting into your body because there isn’t as much strong evidence that it does cause cancer. However, if the link between red meat and colon cancer were proven to be causal, data from the same studies show that the risk of colon cancer could rise by 2017% for every 10%20gram portion of red meat eaten every day.
The available data did not allow conclusions about whether the risks differ in different groups of people.
The available data did not allow conclusions about risks to people who have already had cancer.
Eating meat has known health benefits. A lot of national health recommendations tell people to eat less red and processed meat because they are linked to higher death rates from diabetes, heart disease, and other illnesses.
When it comes to meat, the risk goes up with the amount eaten, but the data that was available did not let us say if there is a safe level.
IARC is a research group that looks at the evidence on what causes cancer but doesn’t officially make health suggestions. National governments and WHO are responsible for developing nutritional guidelines. This review by IARC backs up a recommendation from WHO in 2002 that people who eat meat should limit the amount of processed meat they eat to lower their risk of colorectal cancer. There are other dietary guidelines that also say you should limit your intake of red meat and processed meat, but their main goal is to lower your intake of fat and sodium, which are linked to heart disease and obesity. If someone is worried about getting cancer, they might want to cut back on red meat or processed meat until new guidelines have been made that are specific to cancer.
Vegetarian diets and diets that include meat have different advantages and disadvantages for health. However, this evaluation did not directly compare health risks in vegetarians and people who eat meat. That kind of comparison is hard to make because these groups aren’t always the same, even if they don’t eat meat.
Just a few studies have looked into the cancer risks of different kinds of red meat, like beef and pork, and processed meats, like ham and hot dogs. However, there isn’t enough data to say if eating a certain type of red meat or processed meat is linked to higher or lower cancer risks.
Different preservation methods could result in the formation of carcinogens (e. g. N-nitroso compounds), but whether and how much this contributes to the cancer risk is unknown.
The IARC Working Group looked at more than 800 studies on cancer in humans. Some of these studies gave information on both red and processed meat. In total, more than 700 epidemiological studies gave information on red meat and more than 400 epidemiological studies gave information on processed meat.
It is a research group called IARC that looks at the evidence about what causes cancer but does not give health advice. But the IARC Monographs are often used as a starting point for making national and international rules, laws, and suggestions to lower the risk of cancer. As a result of this new information about the cancer risks of processed meat, governments may decide to update dietary recommendations to take these risks and benefits into account. WHO TEAM.
Is Burnt Bacon Carcinogenic? Evaluating the Cancer Risks of Overcooked Meat
Cooking methods like frying, grilling, and barbecuing can create chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in meat. These compounds form when muscle proteins and creatine react at high temperatures. Studies show HCAs and PAHs are mutagenic, meaning they damage DNA and cause mutations that may lead to cancer. But does this mean burnt meat like bacon increases cancer risk? Let’s take a closer look at the evidence.
What the Research Says About Burnt Meat and Cancer
Numerous studies have found connections between overcooked, well-done, or burnt meat and certain cancers:
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A 2012 meta-analysis reported higher intake of well-done meat was associated with increased risk of colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancer
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A 2010 study found higher consumption of well-done red meat was associated with increased risk of advanced prostate cancer.
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Pancreatic cancer risk was elevated in those who preferred very well-done hamburgers in a 2005 study.
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Heterocyclic amine intake has been associated with higher incidence of breast cancer.
However, it’s difficult to isolate the effects of HCAs and PAHs specifically, since they occur in the context of a whole diet. The carcinogenicity of burnt meat also depends on the type of meat. For example:
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Processed meats like bacon already contain compounds that may be carcinogenic on their own, like nitrates/nitrites. Therefore burnt processed meat is likely more problematic than burnt unprocessed red meat.
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Cooking methods influence HCA and PAH formation. Frying and grilling produce more than other techniques.
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Type of meat matters. Red meats generally form more HCAs than white meats like turkey or chicken.
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Preparation techniques also make a difference. Marinating meat or flipping it frequently while cooking can reduce formation of carcinogens.
What Does This Mean for Bacon?
Bacon is a processed meat already linked to colorectal cancer. The World Health Organization has classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning there is strong evidence it causes cancer in humans.
Cooking bacon until it’s crispy dark brown generates nitrosamines, HCAs like MeIQx and PhIP, and PAHs like benzo[a]pyrene. This suggests burnt bacon may have higher carcinogenic potential than less well-done bacon.
However, eating occasional burnt bacon is unlikely to significantly raise your personal cancer risk. The issue arises when overcooked bacon or other processed meats are consumed regularly and in large portions over long periods of time.
Steps to Minimize Cancer Risk from Bacon and Burnt Meat
To reduce potential cancer risks from burnt and processed meats:
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Limit bacon and other processed meats like ham, sausage, hot dogs. Opt for unprocessed lean meats more often.
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Avoid burning meat and charring surfaces. Cook to lighter degrees of doneness when frying, grilling, etc.
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Consume smaller portions of meat crisped or charred at high heat.
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Use gentler cooking methods like stewing, steaming, poaching, etc.
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Flip meat frequently to prevent charring. Remove charred sections before eating.
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Add marinades, spices, or marinade before cooking to reduce HCA formation.
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Microwave bacon before frying to partially pre-cook. Fry lightly to crisp at lower heat.
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Opt for lower-fat meats like chicken or turkey bacon over pork varieties.
The Bottom Line
Cooked at high temperatures, processed meats like bacon contain compounds that likely raise cancer risk when consumed regularly. But occasional burnt bacon is unlikely to significantly affect cancer odds for most people. Those concerned can take simple steps to minimize exposure to carcinogens from overcooked bacon and meats.
As with most cancer risks, moderation is key. Aim for an overall healthy lifestyle and balanced diet focused on protective foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Then enjoying crispy bacon or charred steak now and then should not meaningfully impact your cancer risk.
Can Burnt Food Really Give You Cancer?
FAQ
Is crispy bacon carcinogenic?
Is burnt meat carcinogenic?
Is smoke from burnt food harmful?
Is burnt wood carcinogenic?
Does cooking bacon increase bowel cancer risk?
How you cook meat like bacon and how crispy you make it does not affect your cancer risk. But bacon itself is processed meat. And eating processed meat, no matter how it’s cooked, increases the risk of bowel cancer. So it’s a good idea to cut down on how much processed meat you eat. Find out more about processed and red meat and cancer risk.
Is Bacon a carcinogen?
Furthermore, curing, grilling, and smoking contribute to the formation of harmful compounds like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heterocyclic amines (HCAs), and advanced glycation end products (AGEs), all of which are considered carcinogenic ( 8, 9, 10, 11 ). Bacon is very high in sodium, with around 193 mg in each slice.
Is Bacon bad for You?
That’s because multiple studies have tied a greater intake of processed meat to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, including colorectal, stomach, and breast cancers ( 2, 3, 4 ). Most bacon products contain sodium nitrite, which prevents bacterial growth and improves taste and color ( 5 ).
Should you eat bacon if you have cancer?
But while bacon may be delicious, experts recommend people eat little or no processed meats because of their cancer risk. But while the cancer risk from processed foods is certainly something to think about, that doesn’t mean bacon should be totally off the menu.