Salted fish classified as Group 1 carcinogen by IARC

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization (WHO), has classified salted fish—including dried salted fish and traditional fermented fish—as a Group 1 carcinogen. This classification places it in the same category as tobacco, alcohol, and processed meats, indicating clear scientific evidence of its cancer-causing potential.

Medical experts, including Hussain Abdeh of Medicine Direct, explain that high concentrations of salt used for preservation can lead to high levels of nitrites. When consumed, these nitrites react with stomach acid to form nitrosamines, compounds capable of causing DNA mutations that trigger cancer cells.

Epidemiological evidence suggests that regular consumption of salted fish can increase the risk of nasopharyngeal cancer by 1.7 to 2.4 times. Furthermore, research published in The Journal of Nutrition indicates that consuming salted fish before the age of 10 may triple the risk of developing these diseases in adulthood.