The only bad sausage, here, is this meta-analysis.
The BBC reports,
A link between eating processed meat, such as bacon or sausages, and pancreatic cancer has been suggested by researchers in Sweden.
They said eating an extra 50g of processed meat, approximately one sausage, every day would increase a person’s risk by 19%.
But the chance of developing the rare cancer remains low.
Here is the study.
This is a meta-analysis of 11 studies, none of which on their own link processed meat-eating with pancreatic cancer. So 11 x 0 = zero.
All the underlying studies suffer form the usual fatal flaws of weak association epidemiology: here that means, no knowledge of actual meat consumption, confounding risk factors for pancreatic cancer or biological plausibility.
As this study purports to link processed meat with cancer risk, the implication is that preservatives (i.e., nitrites) that are the cause.
Click for the American Meat Institute fact sheet on nitrites.
Gudie, Gudie, Gudie, Gudie: Now vee can haf Swedish meatballs, instead, in that Hoagie. I LIKE “turkey pastrami”, and so do my dogs,–Jennie-O or nothing.
“A link between eating processed meat, such as bacon or sausages, and pancreatic cancer has been suggested by researchers in Sweden.”
They suggest? What planet are these researchers from?
Just 11 studies? I’d be convinced if there were more than 100, from numerous areas around the world. At least you know there is some scientific consensus there.
Voodoo based bogus BS linked to bad breath!
Thanks for the link. Always good to learn something new. I believed in the myth that sodium nitrate/nitrite was bad for your health, but I ate products preserved with it anyway in moderation. Hope I live long enough to rid myself of all the voodoo based bogus b.s. I have accumulated.