Two ham slices weekly not too much, Hong Kong food sector says after WHO cancer warning on processed meats

Hongkongers tuck into an average of three-and-half sausages and nearly two slices of ham per week, posing a significant cancer risk according to a recent World Health Organisation study.

The WHO finding, deeming processed meats to be carcinogenic and as dangerous as tobacco and asbestos, prompted strong reactions, ranging from a leading food representative who questioned it to medical experts who welcomed it.

Simon Wong Ka-wo, chairman of the Chamber of Food and Beverage Industry, said the study was too "harsh" and that business for local restaurants and supermarkets would suffer, while doctors called it a much-needed red flag to meat-loving locals.

Chinese University associate professor of oncology Stephen Chan Lam said the WHO report did not cover all Hongkongers' other favourite foods linked to cancer and was based on Western eating habits. "It did not mention lap cheong [Chinese sausage] and pickles popular in Asian countries, which I believe are also cancer-causing," he said.

Local demand for processed meats including sausages and ham has grown in recent years. Figures showed that 23.1 million kilograms of sausages were imported last year, up 3.9 per cent from the previous year and up 17 per cent from the year before that. The city brought in 18 million kilograms of ham last year.