In what has received headline news, on October 26, the World Health Organization announced that processed meats (including hot dogs, ham, sausages, corned beef, and beef jerky) and red meat (including beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, and goat) cause cancer. The findings were made by a panel of 22 international experts who reviewed decades of research by scientists on the link between red and processed meat consumption and cancer, who specifically found that consuming an additional 3.5 ounces of red meat each day increases your risk of getting colorectal cancer by 17 percent, and this risk just keeps increasing the more red meat you eat.
As some of the experts have noted, this has a global impact on cancer that is of extreme public health importance. Specifically, these cancer causing foods alone could be contributing to approximately 34,000 cancer deaths per year, but how? The organization names certain chemicals involved in the preparation of processed meats that could be carcinogenic; however, there are also logistical challenges associated with testing whether a particular food causes cancer. Regardless, the expert panel points out that while the experimental data is difficult to collect, the epidemiological evidence is strong.
Can This Be Considered “Contamination”?
Many people are injured by food poisoning each year, but what is the difference between isolated incidences of tainted food and meat, in general, red and processed meat potentially being carcinogenic in general? The difference is that any bacteria, foreign object, etc. present in a food product that violates established food safety standards and which brings about harm can be the source of a personal injury claim. Conversely, until the general presence of potentially carcinogenic chemicals used to process meat are proven to be hazardous (in terms of experimental data), and domestic laws are passed limiting their use in the production of food, consumers do not typically have a way of bringing an action claiming that the red meat they ate over the course of 20 years, in general, caused their cancer, for example.
Examples of Actionable Food Contamination Issues
Some of the most common cases brought related to food contamination and injury or death have been linked to the presence of salmonella, E.coli, and botulism in everyday diet food products. Salmonella can sometimes be found in products such as raw eggs and seafood; E.coli can also be found in these same foods; and botulism tends to start and spread in canned foods if they are not sealed properly.
Bringing a Food Contamination Case
Proving causation in many food contamination cases can sometimes be a challenge because of how difficult it can be to pinpoint what, exactly, caused a given sickness. In addition, how a particular item is prepared can also affect whether or not it causes illness in consumers in some instances, such as with raw versus cooked eggs. However, in instances where the culprit is clear and you did not contribute to the sickness by your own actions, it is possible to hold both the seller and manufacturer responsible for your injuries.
New Orleans Personal Injury Attorneys
Personal injuries are not limited to car accidents or medical negligence; food poisoning and contamination can bring about serious harm, even death, in some circumstances. If you have experienced a personal injury related to a cancer causing foods in your everyday diet, contact Harrell & Nowak in Louisiana; we serve New Orleans and surrounding communities.
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