* WHO cancer agency reviews meat for first time
* Says clear link between processed meat, colorectal cancer
* Sees red meat as probable cause in some cancers
* Report may not change existing health advice
(Adds comments from industry groups, scientists)
By Gus Trompiz and P.J. Huffstutter
PARIS/CHICAGO, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Eating processed meats
like hot dogs, sausages and bacon can cause colorectal cancer in
humans, and red meat is also a likely cause of the disease,
World Health Organization (WHO) experts said.
The review by WHO's International Agency for Research on
Cancer (IARC), released on Monday, said additionally that there
was some link between the consumption of red meat and pancreatic
cancer and prostate cancer.
IARC classified processed meat as "carcinogenic to humans"
on its group one list along with tobacco and asbestos, for which
there is "sufficient evidence" of cancer links.
Each 50-gram (1.8-ounce) portion of processed meat eaten
daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent, the
agency estimated.
A 50-gram portion would be the equivalent of eating one hot
dog or two slices of bacon. Americans eat about 21.7 grams of
processed pork per day, according to a 2011 National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey.
Red meat was classified as probably carcinogenic in IARC's
group 2A list, joining glyphosate, the active ingredient in many
weedkillers. ID:nL2N0ZU1WB
The IARC examined some 800 studies during a meeting of 22
health experts earlier this month.
"For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal
(bowel) cancer because of their consumption of processed meat
remains small, but this risk increases with the amount of meat
consumed," Dr Kurt Straif of the IARC said in a statement.
The classification for red meat, defined as all types of
mammalian meat including beef, lamb and pork, reflected "limited
evidence" that it causes cancer. The IARC found links mainly
with colorectal cancer - which is a cancer that starts either in
the colon or rectum - but also observed associations with
pancreatic and prostate cancer.
Inconclusive evidence of a link between processed meat and
stomach cancer was also observed, it said.
The news prompted animal rights activists People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals to offer free vegan diet starter
kits and outraged agriculture groups.
The Canadian Meat Council, which represents meat packers
such as Maple Leaf Foods MFI.TO and the Candian-based units of
Cargill Ltd. CARGIL.UL and JBS SA JBSS3.SA , rejected the
findings as simplistic, while trade group North American Meat
Institute said the IARC report "defies common sense."
Some scientists and researchers said the news may not add
much to long-standing health recommendations to limit
consumption of such meat. ID:nL8N12Q1DG
The IARC does not compare the level of risk associated with
different substances in a given category, so does not suggest
eating meat is as dangerous as smoking.
"Nobody is telling people not to eat meat," said David
Wallinga, senior health officer for health and environmental
advocacy group Natural Resources Defense Council. "What they're
saying is if you eat it, eat less of it and buy it from sources
that have produced it better."
MEAT-HEAVY DIETS
Meat suppliers and processors argue that meat provides
essential protein, vitamins and minerals.
Shares of most meat companies were little changed on Monday.
Tyson Foods Inc (N:TSN) TSN.N fell after a rating cut by JP Morgan to
"neutral," which focused on the company's shrinking market share
in packaged meat.
"I'm not expecting that IARC report to be a big issue
going forward," said Brian Weddington, a vice president of
Moody's Investors Service's corporate finance group. "I think
there's still going to be a lot of hot dogs sold tomorrow."
The medical community has long thought there could be a link
between red or processed meat and colorectal cancer, said Tim
Key, a professor at Oxford University.
"Eating a bacon bap sandwich every once in a while isn't
going to do much harm; having a healthy diet is all about
moderation," Key said in a statement from charity Cancer
Research UK.
According to estimates cited by the IARC, 34,000 cancer
deaths per year worldwide are attributable to diets high in
processed meat. About 1 million cancer deaths per year are due
to tobacco smoking, it said.
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