The European Food Safety Agency issued a warning on Tuesday (Mar 28) that cancer-causing chemical compounds, known as nitrosamines, have been found in a range of everyday foods. The agency stated that these compounds could potentially pose a health risk to consumers.
According to a new study by the European Union agency, these 10 nitrosamines can form during the preparation and processing of food. And are not intentionally added to it. The study also determined that these nitrosamines are carcinogenic and genotoxic, which means they may damage DNA
Dieter Schrenk, chair of the EFSA’s panel on contaminants in the food chain, stated that the level of exposure to nitrosamines in food raises a health concern for all age groups across the EU population, based on their assessment.”Based on animal studies, we considered the incidence of liver tumours in rodents as the most critical health effect,” he added.
The “most important food group” contributing to nitrosamines exposure is meat, it said.
“A worst-case scenario”
Schrenk said the research 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 consumption of nitrosamines.
The European Food Safety Agency announced that it will share its opinion with the European Commission, which is the EU’s executive arm. The Commission will then discuss potential risk management measures with nations in the 27-member bloc.
