The World Health Organisation (WHO) currently warns that bacon cured with nitrites is as dangerous as asbestos and smoking, because the chemicals produce carcinogenic nitrosamines when ingested.
They have estimated that around 34,000 bowel and colon cancer deaths each year are directly attributable to diets which are high in processed meat.
The WHO has also calculated that eating two rashers of nitrite-cured bacon per day increases the risk of contracting bowel cancer by 18 per cent.
In Philippines, according 6th National Nutrition Survey (NNS) ten nitrate-and nitrate-treated meat products rank among the top 20 processed meats consumed by Filipinos. Nitrates and nitrites in high concentration are factors in formation of intestinal colon cancer and type one diabetics.
The JECFA-WHO/FAO (2002) Acceptable Daily intake (ADI) is 0.07 mg nitrite per kg body weight. A 50 kilogram person should not ingest 3.5 mg a day.
Food and Nutrition Research Institute conducted laboratory testing of most common meat products consumed by Filipinos. Product selection and area of sampling are random.
Testing Results:
Tocino = 6.8-399.3 mg/kg
Beef Tapa = 33.9 mg/kg
Longganisa = 6.0-328.8 mg/kg
Chorizo = 5.8-195.7 mg/kg
BFAD Maximum Level = 416 mg/kg
Ham = 63.3-164.6 mg/kg
BFAD Maximum Level = 168 mg/kg
Hotdog = 9.6-104.1 mg/kg
Corned beef = 12.7-49.2 mg/kg
Vienna sausage = 38.9-104.9 mg/kg
Luncheon meat = 96.4-106.8 mg/kg
Meat/Beef loaf = 80.6 mg/kg
BFAD Maximum Level = 134 mg/kg
No products exceeded the levels set by BFAD but every person eating the meat products have the potential risk of exceeding ADI. Ingesting 125 grams of meat loaf will give a 50 kilogram person approximately 8 mg of hazardous preservative, 4.5 mg excess.
