Yasmina Kattou 10:30 a.m., July 11, 2022
The nitrites present in charcuterie would be responsible for cancers.
This is revealed in a report by ANSES, the national food safety agency which will be made public on Tuesday.
The JDD has access to a summary note before the official release of this report.
Nitrites are preservatives that give this pretty pink color to the ham.
According to an article in
the Sunday newspaper
, published this Sunday, July 10, the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (Anses) has, for the first time, recognized a risk of cancer linked to ham nitrites.
Sodium nitrites are among other preservatives that give ham its pink color and prevent the formation of toxic bacteria.
However, the ham is not pink, but gray, like a roast pork.
A link to breast cancer
There is a link between colon cancer and the consumption of nitrites.
The ANSES report will be published tomorrow but Guillaume Coudray, who warned about the danger of nitrites in his book
Cochonneries
, had access to a preview synthesis.
"Not only does ANSES recognize that there is a link between cold cuts with nitrites and colon cancer", he explains at the microphone of Europe 1. "In the following line, she also says that "there are links with other cancers, in this case with prostate cancer, probably a link with breast cancer".
According to Guillaume Coudray, this note also details that the toxicity of nitrates comes from their association with other components.
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An attractive but very dangerous pink color
"The nitrate and the nitrite will react with the iron in the meat and when they react with the iron, the latter takes on a beautiful appetizing pink color which is attractive to the consumer. Except that this pink iron, it becomes carcinogenic,” he warns.
After the report is submitted by ANSES, it will be up to the government to choose what measures to take to limit the carcinogenic risks of nitrites.