Sausages contain preservative and colorant chemicals called nitrites and nitrates, which once in the body can convert into cancer-causing compounds, warned Majid Haji Faraji, head of the National Institute of Nutrition.
Also at high temperatures the chemicals have been shown to combine with functional groups that exist in proteins called amines and form toxic compounds known as nitrosamines. “Nitrosamines are carcinogenic compounds believed to increase risks of certain cancers,” Alef News Agency quoted him as saying. While the best option is to cut down on processed meat consumption, studies have found that natural vitamin c may provide some protection from the formation of dangerous nitrosamines.
