When I began writing about consumer issues in the mid-1970s, one of the first articles I wrote was on studies showing sodium nitrite – an additive that preserves the color and general appearance of cured meats in hot dogs, lunch meats, bacon, and sausages – causes cancer.
Sodium nitrate leads to the formation of N-nitroso compounds, which are known carcinogens.
A researcher in one of the studies said he’d stopped eating bacon and other cured meats because of his findings.
That was more than 30 years ago.
I think hot dogs and other cured meats need warning labels.
A consumer group is taking action on the cured meats issue. The Cancer Project in Essex County, N.J, filed a lawsuit this week.
It alleges in a class-action suit that hot dogs pose serious health risks and need to carry warning labels, reports ConsumerAffairs.com in the article “Lawsuit Seeks Warning Labels for Hot Dogs.”
Among the defendants are Nathan's Famous, Kraft Foods, Sara Lee, ConAgra, and Marathon.
The plaintiffs propose a warning label such as: “Warning: Consuming hot dogs and other processed meats increases the risk of cancer.”
In a study, the National Cancer Institute found that individuals who eat large amounts of red and processed meats are more likely to die, especially from cancer or heart disease, the article reports.
