The Health and Population Ministry's role in dealing with meat products is only regulatory, according to spokesperson Dr. Khaled Megahed, who announced that the World Health Organization (WHO) notified the ministry that processed meat can cause cancer.
The WHO put out a statement on Monday indicating that it has placed processed meat on a list of hazards that includes cigarettes, alcohol, arsenic and asbestos.
“We make sure products are as per specs and not expired,” Megahed said in his statement. “Other than that, it is the responsibility of the Supply Ministry and the veterinary services.”
“But we did assign a committee to discuss warning methods with factories of processed meat,” he added.
The World Health Organization has also warned of red meat, including burgers, sausages, bacon and pastrami.
This came after a large panel of scientists selected from 10 different countries assessed scientific evidence published in recent medical findings on the hazards of processed meat.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
