Average consumption of red and processed meat should be reduced, one of Britain's most important scientific committees has urged in a controversial report on diet and cancer. Even moderately heavy meat eaters should consider cutting back on their consumption, the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy has recommended.
The committee, known as Coma, which gives independent advice on food safety to the British government, says people eating between eight and 10 portions of red and processed meat a week (90g per day) "should consider a reduction". Those with high intakes, in the order of about 12 to 14 portions per week (140g per day), "should reduce their consumption".
A leading Irish nutritionist, Prof Mike Gibney, Associate Professor of Nutrition at Trinity College, said the recommendations should not put consumers off meat consumption unduly, as some of the figures were the equivalent of "eating an 8oz steak a day", and so did not apply to most people.
The British Department of Health backed off publishing the report yesterday on the basis that all Coma members had not discussed the final meat consumption figure recommendations. Coma met on Wednesday to agree the recommendations but accepted that additional clarification was necessary prior to its publication.
The British Minister for Agriculture, Mr Jack Cunningham, was said to be supportive of the approach to the report, which has the potential to add a further blow to the already BSE-battered beef industry.
In a joint statement, the British Departments of Health and Agriculture said they were at one and "determined to change the culture in Whitehall when it comes to food safety". The full report would be published as soon as possible.
The consumption recommendations were issued, nonetheless, and couched with other dietary advice on body weight, fruit/vegetable consumption and dietary fibre.
When it comes to diet and cancer, eating a varied diet high in fruit, vegetables and fibre remains the most definitive advice, Prof Gibney said. An "endless number of studies" had shown that eating fruit and vegetable could reduce cancer.
