03.12.2016

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to require a warning label on packages of bacon, ham, hot dogs, and other processed meat and poultry products to inform consumers that eating those foods is associated with an increased risk of cancer of the colon and rectum (colorectal cancer).
A regulatory petition filed by the nonprofit watchdog group cites the findings of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which concluded in 2015 that processed meat is “carcinogenic to humans.”  IARC, ACS, and the World Cancer Research Fund all cite research that found about an 18 percent increased risk of colorectal cancer for every 50 grams of processed meat consumed daily. 
CSPI’s petition says USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has the authority to require the labels under the Federal Meat Inspection Act.  
CSPI is asking for labels of all meat and poultry products preserved by smoking, curing, salting, and/or the addition of chemical preservatives to bear this message: “USDA WARNING: Frequent consumption of processed meat products may increase your risk of developing cancer of the colon and rectum. To protect your health, limit consumption of such products.”