Processed meat

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Various types of processed meat for sale at a grocery store SelectionOfProcessedMeats.jpg
Various types of processed meat for sale at a grocery store

Processed meat is considered to be any meat that has been modified in order to either improve its taste or to extend its shelf life. Methods of meat processing include salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, boiling, frying, and/or the addition of chemical preservatives. [1] Processed meat is usually composed of pork or beef or, less frequently, poultry. It can also contain offal or meat by-products such as blood. Processed meat products include bacon, ham, sausages, salami, corned beef, jerky, hot dogs, lunch meat, canned meat, chicken nuggets, [2] and meat-based sauces. Meat processing includes all the processes that change fresh meat with the exception of simple mechanical processes such as cutting, grinding or mixing. [3]

Contents

Meat processing began as soon as people realized that cooking and salting prolongs the life of fresh meat. It is not known when this took place; however, the process of salting and sun-drying was recorded in Ancient Egypt, while using ice and snow is credited to early Romans, and canning was developed by Nicolas Appert who in 1810 received a prize for his invention from the French government. [3] Medical health organizations advise people to limit processed meat consumption as it increases risk of colorectal cancer. [4] [5] [6] [7]

Preservatives

Nitrosyl-heme Nitrosyl-Heme.png
Nitrosyl-heme

Nitrate and sodium nitrite found in processed meats can be converted by the human body into nitrosamines that can be carcinogenic, causing mutation in the colorectal cell line, thereby causing tumorigenesis and eventually leading to cancer. [8] Processed meat is more carcinogenic compared to unprocessed red meat because of the abundance of potent nitrosyl-heme molecules that form N-nitroso compounds. [9]

A principal concern about sodium nitrite is Nitrosation/nitrosylation, the formation of carcinogenic nitroso-compounds in meats containing sodium nitrite or potassium nitrate, [10] especially nitrosyl-haem (nitrosyl heme). [11] In addition to nitrosyl-haem, carcinogenic nitrosamines can be formed from the reaction of nitrite with secondary amines under acidic conditions (such as occurs in the human stomach) as well as during the curing process used to preserve meats.[ citation needed ]

Nitrate and nitrite are consumed from plant foods as well as animal foods, with 80% of a typical person's nitrate consumption coming from vegetables, especially leafy and root vegetables such as spinach and beets. [12] Some nitrate is converted to nitrite in the human body. [12] Nitrate and nitrite are classified as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and are not directly carcinogenic. Yet, when nitrate or nitrite interact with certain components in meat, such as heme iron, amines, and amides, they can form nitroso compounds, which may contribute to the association between consumption of processed meats and higher incidence of colorectal cancer. [13]

Health effects

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) at the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies processed meat as Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans), because the IARC has found sufficient evidence that consumption of processed meat by humans causes colorectal cancer. [6] [14] [15]

A 2016 report by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund found that processed meat consumption also increases the risk of stomach cancer. [5]

In 2020, the American Cancer Society stated that "it is not known if there is a safe level of consumption for either red or processed meats. In the absence of such knowledge, while recognizing that the amount of increased risk isn't certain, the ACS recommends choosing protein foods such as fish, poultry, and beans more often than red meat, and for people who eat processed meat products to do so sparingly, if at all." [4]

Reviews of cohort studies have found that processed meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, gastric cancer and stroke. [16] [17] [18] A 2023 review found that processed red meat consumption increases risk of Alzheimer's disease. [19] [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carcinogen</span> Substance, radionuclide, or radiation directly involved in causing cancer

A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive substances are considered carcinogens, but their carcinogenic activity is attributed to the radiation, for example gamma rays and alpha particles, which they emit. Common examples of non-radioactive carcinogens are inhaled asbestos, certain dioxins, and tobacco smoke. Although the public generally associates carcinogenicity with synthetic chemicals, it is equally likely to arise from both natural and synthetic substances. Carcinogens are not necessarily immediately toxic; thus, their effect can be insidious.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nitrate</span> Polyatomic ion (NO₃, charge –1) found in explosives and fertilisers

Nitrate is a polyatomic ion with the chemical formula NO−
3. Salts containing this ion are called nitrates. Nitrates are common components of fertilizers and explosives. Almost all inorganic nitrates are soluble in water. An example of an insoluble nitrate is bismuth oxynitrate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sodium nitrate</span> Chemical compound

Sodium nitrate is the chemical compound with the formula NaNO
3. This alkali metal nitrate salt is also known as Chile saltpeter to distinguish it from ordinary saltpeter, potassium nitrate. The mineral form is also known as nitratine, nitratite or soda niter.

The nitrite ion has the chemical formula NO−
2. Nitrite is widely used throughout chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The nitrite anion is a pervasive intermediate in the nitrogen cycle in nature. The name nitrite also refers to organic compounds having the –ONO group, which are esters of nitrous acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sodium nitrite</span> Chemical compound

Sodium nitrite is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula NaNO2. It is a white to slightly yellowish crystalline powder that is very soluble in water and is hygroscopic. From an industrial perspective, it is the most important nitrite salt. It is a precursor to a variety of organic compounds, such as pharmaceuticals, dyes, and pesticides, but it is probably best known as a food additive used in processed meats and (in some countries) in fish products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nitrosamine</span> Organic compounds of the form >N–N=O

In organic chemistry, nitrosamines are organic compounds with the chemical structure R2N−N=O, where R is usually an alkyl group. They feature a nitroso group bonded to a deprotonated amine. Most nitrosamines are carcinogenic in nonhuman animals. A 2006 systematic review supports a "positive association between nitrite and nitrosamine intake and gastric cancer, between meat and processed meat intake and gastric cancer and oesophageal cancer, and between preserved fish, vegetable and smoked food intake and gastric cancer, but is not conclusive".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pancetta</span> Italian bacon made of pork belly meat

Pancetta is a salt-cured pork belly meat product in a category known as salume. In Italy, it is often used to add depth to soups and pastas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red meat</span> Meat which is red when raw, with high myoglobin content

In gastronomy, red meat is commonly red when raw, in contrast to white meat, which is pale in color before cooking. In culinary terms, only flesh from mammals or fowl is classified as red or white. In nutritional science, red meat is defined as any meat that has more of the protein myoglobin than white meat. White meat is defined as non-dark meat from fish or chicken.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer is an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organization of the United Nations. Its role is to conduct and coordinate research into the causes of cancer. It also collects and publishes surveillance data regarding the occurrence of cancer worldwide.

IARC group 2A agents are substances and exposure circumstances that have been classified as probable carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This designation is applied when there is limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans, as well as sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. In some cases, an agent may be classified in this group when there is inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans along with sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals and strong evidence that the carcinogenesis is mediated by a mechanism that also operates in humans. Exceptionally, an agent may be classified in this group solely on the basis of limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White meat</span> Meat which is pale before and after cooking

In culinary terms, white meat is meat which is pale in color before and after cooking. In traditional gastronomy, white meat also includes rabbit, the flesh of milk-fed young mammals, and sometimes pork. In ecotrophology and nutritional studies, white meat includes poultry and fish, but excludes all mammal flesh, which is considered red meat.

<i>N</i>-Nitrosonornicotine Chemical compound

N-Nitrosonornicotine (NNN) is a tobacco-specific nitrosamine produced during the curing and processing of tobacco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nitroso</span> Class of functional groups with a –N=O group attached

In organic chemistry, nitroso refers to a functional group in which the nitric oxide group is attached to an organic moiety. As such, various nitroso groups can be categorized as C-nitroso compounds, S-nitroso compounds, N-nitroso compounds, and O-nitroso compounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curing (food preservation)</span> Food preservation and flavouring processes based on drawing moisture out of the food by osmosis

Curing is any of various food preservation and flavoring processes of foods such as meat, fish and vegetables, by the addition of salt, with the aim of drawing moisture out of the food by the process of osmosis. Because curing increases the solute concentration in the food and hence decreases its water potential, the food becomes inhospitable for the microbe growth that causes food spoilage. Curing can be traced back to antiquity, and was the primary method of preserving meat and fish until the late 19th century. Dehydration was the earliest form of food curing. Many curing processes also involve smoking, spicing, cooking, or the addition of combinations of sugar, nitrate, and nitrite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DNA adduct</span> Segment of DNA bound to a cancer-causing chemical

In molecular genetics, a DNA adduct is a segment of DNA bound to a cancer-causing chemical. This process could lead to the development of cancerous cells, or carcinogenesis. DNA adducts in scientific experiments are used as biomarkers of exposure. They are especially useful in quantifying an organism's exposure to a carcinogen. The presence of such an adduct indicates prior exposure to a potential carcinogen, but it does not necessarily indicate the presence of cancer in the subject animal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diet and cancer</span> Connections between dietary habits and cancer

Dietary factors are recognized as having a significant effect on the risk of cancers, with different dietary elements both increasing and reducing risk. Diet and obesity may be related to up to 30–35% of cancer deaths, while physical inactivity appears to be related to 7% risk of cancer occurrence.

Cancer prevention is the practice of taking active measures to decrease the incidence of cancer and mortality. The practice of prevention is dependent upon both individual efforts to improve lifestyle and seek preventive screening, and socioeconomic or public policy related to cancer prevention. Globalized cancer prevention is regarded as a critical objective due to its applicability to large populations, reducing long term effects of cancer by promoting proactive health practices and behaviors, and its perceived cost-effectiveness and viability for all socioeconomic classes.

In biochemistry, nitrosamines are a class of compounds that can form during food digestion. The presence of their precursors, nitrites, in cured meats, is controversial, because of a small connection to cancer risk.

<i>N</i>-Nitrosomorpholine Chemical compound

N-Nitrosomorpholine is an organic compound which is known to be a carcinogen and mutagen.

References

  1. ↑ Monica Reinagel (2 Aug 2016). "What's the Definition of Processed Meat?". Scientific American. Retrieved 27 Jan 2022.
  2. ↑ "The Meat You Eat – What's Good for You?". WebMD. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  3. 1 2 Pearson, A. M.; Tauber, F. W. (2012-12-06). Processed Meats. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN   9789401096928.Introduction
  4. 1 2 Rock, Cheryl L.; Thomson, Cynthia; Gansler, Ted; Gapstur, Susan M.; McCullough, Marjorie L.; Patel, Alpa V.; Andrews, Kimberly S.; Bandera, Elisa V.; Spees, Colleen K.; Robien, Kimberly; Hartman, Sheri; Sullivan, Kristen; Grant, Barbara L.; Hamilton, Kathryn K.; Kushi, Lawrence H.; Caan, Bette J.; Kibbe, Debra; Black, Jessica Donze; Wiedt, Tracy L.; McMahon, Catherine; Sloan, Kirsten; Doyle, Colleen (2020). "American Cancer Society guideline for diet and physical activity for cancer prevention". CA. 70 (4): 245–271. doi: 10.3322/caac.21591 . PMID   32515498. S2CID   219550658.
  5. 1 2 "Diet, nutrition, physical activity and stomach cancer" (PDF). American Institute for Cancer Research and World Cancer Research Fund. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-10-10. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Cancer: Carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat". IARC. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 19 Sep 2022.
  7. ↑ "Does eating processed and red meat cause cancer?". cancerresearchuk.org. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  8. ↑ Santarelli RL, Pierre F, Corpet DE (2008). "Processed meat and colorectal cancer: a review of epidemiologic and experimental evidence". Nutrition and Cancer. 60 (2): 131–44. doi:10.1080/01635580701684872. PMC   2661797 . PMID   18444144.
  9. ↑ Jeyakumar A, Dissabandara L, Gopalan V (April 2017). "A critical overview on the biological and molecular features of red and processed meat in colorectal carcinogenesis". Journal of Gastroenterology. 52 (4): 407–418. doi:10.1007/s00535-016-1294-x. PMID   27913919. S2CID   20865644.
  10. ↑ Lijinsky, William (July 1999). "N-Nitroso compounds in the diet". Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis. 443 (1–2): 129–138. doi:10.1016/s1383-5742(99)00015-0. PMID   10415436.
  11. ↑ Kuhnle, G.G.C.; Bingham, S.A. (1 November 2007). "Dietary meat, endogenous nitrosation and colorectal cancer". Biochemical Society Transactions. 35 (5): 1355–1357. doi:10.1042/BST0351355. PMID   17956350.
  12. 1 2 "Public Health Statement for NITRATE and NITRITE". Archived from the original on 18 December 2020.
  13. ↑ Santarelli, R. L.; Pierre, F.; Corpet, D. E. (2008). "Processed meat and colorectal cancer: A review of epidemiologic and experimental evidence". Nutrition and Cancer. 60 (2): 131–144. doi:10.1080/01635580701684872. PMC   2661797 . PMID   18444144.
  14. ↑ "IARC Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat" (PDF). IARC. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 19 Sep 2022.
  15. ↑ Chan, D. S.; Lau, R.; Aune, D.; Vieira, R.; Greenwood, D. C.; Kampman, E.; Norat, T. (6 Jun 2011). "Red and processed meat and colorectal cancer incidence: meta-analysis of prospective studies". PLOS One. NIH. 6 (6): e20456. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...620456C. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0020456 . PMC   3108955 . PMID   21674008.
  16. ↑ Liu SJ, Huang PD, Xu JM, Li Q, Xie JH, Wu WZ, Wang CT, Yang XB (2022). "Diet and gastric cancer risk: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies". Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology. 148 (8): 1855–1868. doi:10.1007/s00432-022-04005-1. PMID   35695929. S2CID   249613718.
  17. ↑ Guo N, Zhu Y, Tian D, Zhao Y, Zhang C, Mu C, Han C, Zhu R, Liu X (2022). "Role of diet in stroke incidence: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of prospective observational studies". BMC Medicine. 24 (1): 194. doi: 10.1186/s12916-022-02381-6 . PMC   9128224 . PMID   35606791.
  18. ↑ Shi, Wenming; Huang, Xin; Schooling, C Mary; Zhao, Jie V (2023). "Red meat consumption, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis". European Heart Journal. 44 (28): 2626–2635. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehad336 . PMID   37264855.
  19. ↑ Grant WB, Blake SM. (2023). "Diet's Role in Modifying Risk of Alzheimer's Disease: History and Present Understanding". Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. 96 (4): 1353–1382. doi:10.3233/JAD-230418. PMC   10741367 . PMID   37955087.
  20. ↑ "Diet has a major impact on risk of Alzheimer’s disease". iospress.com. Retrieved 30 January 2024.

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