World Health Organization agency report expected to label red meat as cancer-causing agent

Red and processed meats pose cancer risks to consumers, according to a report expected to be released Monday by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Spencer Chase reports for Agri-Pulse. The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) "said the organization's conclusion on meat defies 'both common sense and dozens of studies showing no correlation between meat and cancer and other studies showing the many health benefits of balanced diets that include meat.'"

Barry Carpenter, NAMI's president and CEO, said in a statement: “Red and processed meat are among 940 substances reviewed by IARC found to pose some level of theoretical ‘hazard.' Only one substance, a chemical in yoga pants, has been declared by IARC not to cause cancer. Scientific evidence shows cancer is a complex disease not caused by single foods and that a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle choices are essential to good health.” He listed the numerous items IARC says can cause cancer, such as aloe vera, grilled food, sunlight and air. "He said IARC reviews fail to consider the health benefits derived from meat consumption, so it fails to address the bigger picture."

"If the report does indeed label red and processed meats as carcinogens, it wouldn't be the first time an IARC ruling had an impact on agriculture," Chase writes. "In March, the panel ruled that glyphosate, one of the most widely-used herbicides in agriculture, was 'probably carcinogenic to humans.' Monsanto strongly rejected IARC's conclusion. On its website, Monsanto says 'all labeled uses for glyphosate are safe for human health and supported by one of the most extensive worldwide human health databases.' In addition, it says IARC's finding on glyphosate 'is not supported by scientific data.'" (Read more)