Processed meats cause cancer: WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that processed meats, such as bacon, sausages and ham do cause cancer. According to an official statement, the WHO said 50 g of processed meat a day - less than two slices of bacon - increased the chance of developing colorectal cancer by 18 per cent.

It said red meats were "probably carcinogenic" but there was limited evidence. Processed meat is meat that has been modified to increase its shelf life or alter its taste, such as by smoking, curing or adding salt or preservatives. It is these additions which could be increasing the risk of cancer.

"For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal (bowel) cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat consumed," Kurt Straif from the WHO said.