The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has warned that cancer-causing chemical compounds called nitrosamines have been found in a range of everyday foods and could pose a health risk to consumers.
Nitrosamines are a group of chemical compounds that can be found in some foods, as well as in tobacco smoke, cosmetics, and other consumer products.
They are not intentionally added to food but can form during the preparation and processing of certain foods, particularly those that are cured, smoked, or grilled, or that contain nitrate or nitrite preservatives.
Nitrosamines are considered carcinogenic and genotoxic, meaning they have the potential to cause cancer and damage DNA.
The 10 nitrosamines that were found in the study conducted by the European Union agency are carcinogenic and also genotoxic, which means they may damage DNA.
According to the study, nitrosamines have been detected in foods such as cured meat, processed fish, cocoa, beer, and other alcoholic drinks.
The EFSA has stated that the “most important food group” contributing to nitrosamine exposure is meat.
The agency’s assessment has concluded that the level of exposure to nitrosamines in food raises a health concern for all age groups across the EU population.
The EFSA’s panel on contaminants in the food chain, chaired by Dieter Schrenk, stated that the incidence of liver tumors in rodents was the most critical health effect based on animal studies.
However, Schrenk also noted that the study deployed “a worst-case scenario” assuming that all nitrosamines detected in food had the potential to cause cancer as the most harmful form of the compound, although that is unlikely.
The EFSA added that there were “knowledge gaps” about the presence of nitrosamines in some food groups. It advised a balanced diet with a wide variety of foods to reduce the consumption of nitrosamines.
The agency’s opinion will be shared with the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, which will discuss potential risk management measures with the member states.
This warning from the EFSA highlights the importance of understanding the potential health risks associated with the food we consume.
While nitrosamines may not be intentionally added to food, their presence in everyday foods can pose a serious threat to public health.
It is essential that further research is conducted in this area to fully understand the extent of the risk and to develop effective risk management measures to reduce exposure to nitrosamines.
In the meantime, people can take steps to reduce their consumption of nitrosamines by adopting a balanced diet with a wide variety of foods.
Some examples of nitrosamines include N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which has been linked to cancer in animals and is a known environmental contaminant, and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDBA), which has been found in some blood pressure medications and has led to product recalls.
Nitrosamines have been detected in a range of everyday foods, including cured meat, processed fish, cocoa, beer, and other alcoholic drinks.
Meat is considered the “most important food group” contributing to nitrosamines exposure, according to the EFSA.
However, there are knowledge gaps about the presence of nitrosamines in some food groups.
To reduce the consumption of nitrosamines, people should have a balanced diet with a wide variety of foods.
They also recommend that food manufacturers take steps to reduce the formation of nitrosamines during food processing and preparation.
Overall, the presence of nitrosamines in food is a cause for concern and underscores the importance of food safety and regulation.
Consumers should be aware of the potential risks associated with certain foods and take steps to reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals whenever possible.
If you care about cancer, please read studies about eating fish linked to higher risk of skin cancer, and Vitamin B3 could help prevent skin cancers.
For more information about cancer, please see recent studies about how drinking milk affects the risks of heart disease and cancer, and results showing low-fat diet could be key to stopping cancer growth.
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