Food safety experts address risks of processed meats and aspartame

Health experts and advocacy groups are highlighting the risks associated with specific food additives and processed meats. Regarding processed meats like cooked ham, experts clarify that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Group 1 classification indicates a proven link to increased risks, such as colorectal cancer, rather than comparing its potency directly to tobacco. The primary concern is the frequency of consumption; habitual intake of nitrites and nitrosamines found in cured meats is linked to measurable health risks, with a 2025 meta-analysis suggesting no completely risk-free consumption threshold.

Simultaneously, attention is turning to the sweetener aspartame (E 951). Following its 2023 classification by the World Health Organization as a possible human carcinogen, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is expected to provide a new scientific evaluation. This review, which may arrive as early as September, aims to examine updated scientific literature to determine recommended doses. Advocacy groups, including Foodwatch, are pushing for a ban, noting that the current assessment of aspartame is over a decade old.