The new meat rules: As experts warn it increases the chance of cancer, we reveal which types are the riskiest...

It was bad news for bacon sandwich lovers yesterday. 

Processed meat - including the humble rasher, burgers and sausages - is as big a cancer threat as cigarettes, global health chiefs warned.

The new World Health Organisation report classified processed meat as carcinogenic alongside arsenic and asbestos. 

The report also classified red meat as ‘probably carcinogenic’ – one rank below – but added that it does have some nutritional benefits.

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The World Health Organisation says eating just 50g of processed meat a day increases the risk of bowel cancer by 18 per cent. 50g of meat includes two slices of shop bought ham, 10 slices of chorizo and half a hot dog - or 1.7 meatballs or an eighth of a pack of chicken roll 

THE NEW MEAT RULES 

The World Health Organisation said eating just 50g of processed meat a day – less than one sausage – increases the risk of bowel cancer by 18 per cent.So what does 50g look like?

• Half a hot dog
• 1.7 shop bought meatballs
• 10 slices chorizo
• 2 slices smoked ham
• 1.5 slices cured ham 
• One-eighth of a pack of chicken roll 
• 5 slices of salami
• Half a pack of salt beef

Government guidelines introduced in 2011 recommend that adults eat no more than 70g of red or processed meat each day.

This is equivalent to one small sausage or two rashers of bacon a day - or one lamb chop every other day.

But this is too high, according to the WHO’s announcement yesterday - and the Government may now revise it down.

Following the report, experts are now urging the public to avoid processed meat where possible and to have a bean salad for lunch rather than a BLT.