Founder - Bona Vita Nutrition Consultancy
"Should We Be Concerned About Processed Meat Consumption?"
Title:
| The Role and Importance of Meat in Our Diet
| Meat and Processed Meat Products
| Processed Meat Products and Their Effects on Health
| Production of Healthy and High-Quality Meat Products
| Processed Meat Products and Food Additives
| Studies on Processed Meat
| How Much and How Should Processed Meat Be Consumed Safely?
| Tips for Reducing Processed Meat Consumption
The Role and Importance of Meat in Our Diet
In recent years, with new developments in food production and the increasing importance of human health, consuming food that is produced under hygienic conditions while maintaining a balanced and healthy diet has become increasingly significant. The necessary nutrients for growth and development should be consumed in adequate amounts without losing their nutritional value or becoming harmful to health.
Unprocessed meat and ready-to-eat meat products, which are rich in essential minerals such as iron, zinc, and selenium, as well as vitamins B6 and B12, play a crucial role in a healthy diet. Red meat (beef, veal, pork, lamb, and mutton) is a vital source of essential amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and energy.
Meat and Processed Meat Products
As mentioned above, meat is an essential food source for a sufficient, balanced, and healthy diet. Today, various meat products are produced using different processing methods. Meat can be classified into "red," "white," and "processed" categories. In our country, beef, lamb, and goat meat are considered "red meat," while chicken, turkey, quail, goose, duck, and fish are classified as "white meat." Examples of processed meat include salami, sausages, sucuk (Turkish fermented sausage), pastrami, ham, canned meat, smoked meat, and cured meats. Various techniques such as salting, curing, smoking, marinating, fermentation, drying, freezing, and heat treatment are applied to enhance the flavor and extend the shelf life of these processed meat products.
Sausage is a meat product made from minced meat of cattle, sheep, or poultry, stuffed into casings, linked, smoked, and boiled.
Pastrami is a heat-untreated, cured, and dried meat product made from large cuts of beef carcasses, subjected to curing, washing, pressing, drying, and finally coated with a spice paste.
Ham is a meat product obtained by salting, curing, and applying heat treatment to selected cuts of domestic hoofed or poultry carcass meats.
Canned meat is produced by subjecting quality meat to salting, curing, emulsification, and cooking before being hermetically sealed in containers (tin cans, glass jars, or special pouches) using traditional canning methods.
Processed Meat Products and Their Effects on Health
In our country, the most commonly consumed processed meat products are salami, sausage, sucuk, and pastrami. During the production and consumption of these foods, toxic biogenic amines can form, along with carcinogenic nitrosamines due to residual nitrites, posing significant health risks. Excessive consumption of processed meat products can contribute to the development or worsening of diseases, posing serious health risks.
Since 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified processed meat as "carcinogenic to humans" due to its significant role in increasing the risk of colorectal cancer. Consuming just one hot dog or a few slices of bacon daily increases cancer risk by 18%. The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research have confirmed strong evidence linking processed meat to cancer.
Production of Healthy and High-Quality Meat Products
Both conscious producers and consumers are increasingly prioritizing access to high-quality meat and meat products for a healthier diet.
If proper preservation technologies and conditions (storage temperature, atmospheric conditions, endogenous enzymes, light, and humidity) are not maintained, pathogenic microorganisms such as E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. can frequently and abundantly contaminate meat. These microorganisms cause noticeable changes in the odor, color, and taste of meat, leading to foodborne illnesses.
Unfortunately, various fraudulent practices have been detected in the production of processed meat products such as salami, sausage, and sucuk. These include substituting beef with cheaper poultry, offal, skin, bones, soy protein, and low-cost fats.
To ensure public health and the safety of meat products, factors such as the hygiene of the animals' feed and living conditions, water disinfection, slaughterhouse hygiene, raw material processing, proper cooking and cooling temperatures, curing, smoking, drying, employee hygiene, equipment sanitation, packaging, and shelf life must be meticulously maintained.
Processed Meat Products and Food Additives
As interest in processed and ready-to-eat foods grows, consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about food additives used during production. Food additives enhance aroma, taste, appearance, nutritional value, and shelf life but may also pose health risks. Sodium nitrite is one of the most commonly used preservatives in processed meat for three main reasons:
- To maintain the red/pink color of the meat.
- To enhance flavor by suppressing fat oxidation.
- To prevent bacterial growth and reduce the risk of food poisoning.
However, nitrites in processed meat can transform into harmful N-nitroso compounds, primarily nitrosamines, when exposed to high temperatures. Additionally, processed meat products are rich in sodium chloride (table salt), which, when consumed excessively, increases the risk of hypertension, strokes, and heart disease. Thus, consumers should be mindful of the frequency, quantity, and quality of processed meat products they consume.
Studies on Processed Meat
A study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology found that individuals who consume an average of 76 grams of red and processed meat daily have a 20% higher risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to those consuming around 21 grams per day.
A study conducted in the U.S. linked high consumption of processed and unprocessed red meat to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, whereas replacing it with dairy products significantly lowered the risk.
Epidemiological research on processed meat and the colon showed that those who consume processed meat have a 20-50% higher risk of developing colorectal diseases than those who do not.
A study presented at the annual conference of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine found a link between high processed meat consumption and abnormal sperm count, size, and shape. Some chemicals and additives in processed meats pose risks to fetal development, potentially leading to developmental delays and birth defects.
A 2022 study conducted in Konya, Turkey, detected Salmonella spp. in 9 of 60 sucuk samples (15%), 7 of 60 sausage samples (11.66%), 7 of 60 salami samples (11.66%), and 3 of 60 pastrami samples (5%).
How Much and How Should Processed Meat Be Consumed Safely?
Health experts recommend minimizing processed meat consumption, as even small amounts can significantly impact health.
Tips for Reducing Processed Meat Consumption
- You don’t need to completely eliminate processed foods from your diet all at once. In fact, making changes gradually is often more effective and sustainable in the long run.
- When choosing processed meat products, read and compare labels carefully.
- If you eat red meat several times a day (for example, sausages or sucuk for breakfast, a ham sandwich for lunch, and a steak for dinner), try reducing your consumption to once a day.
- Alternatively, you can incorporate plant-based protein sources such as tofu, beans, lentils, and tempeh into your diet.
- Replace processed meat products like ham, bacon, salami, and sausages with healthier protein sources such as chicken, salmon, turkey, or tuna. For example:
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