Salted and Cured Food Corned beef is made by using corn-sized crystals of salt to brine large cuts of beef brisket, sometimes with added seasonings of allspice, black pepper, and bay leaves. It is sold in vacuum-sealed bags that contain some of the brine and seasonings used during curing.   Salt has been commonly used to preserve food such as fish and meat, especially in Asian societies. A wide range of organisms cannot tolerate high salt concentrations, though many others are resistant.   When the food is to be consumed, it is not easy to rinse away all the salt added. Therefore this method of food preservation would result in very high salt intake.   Research studies indicated that high salt intake is related to stomach cancer as well nasopharyngeal cancer. Common salted and cured food items include:   1. Chinese-style salted fish 2. Chinese-style salted and dried meat, i.e. 臘肉 (e.g. dried duck 臘鴨, or dried ham 金華火腿) 3. Cured meats, e.g. ham, sausage, corned beef, salami, wursts, frankfurters, luncheon meats 4. Smoked meats, e.g. bacon, smoked salmon 5. Pickled vegetables, e.g. Kimchi (pickled and fermented cabbage), pickled carrot and cucumber Research linking high salt intake to stomach cancer: In a research conducted by the National Cancer Centre Research Institute in Japan, the dietary, drinking and smoking habits of around 40,000 middle-aged Japanese were studied over an 11-year period.   Risk of stomach cancer among people with low salt intake Risk of stomach cancer among people with high salt intake Japanese men One in 1000 One in 500 Japanese women One in 2000 One in 1300 The scientists found that people who ate a regular diet of highly salted food doubled their risk of stomach cancer. The research report was published in the October, 2003 issue of the British Journal of Cancer. (Related web page)   Research on the link between Chinese-style salted fish and nasopharyngeal cancer High intake of salted fish is associated with nasopharyngeal cancer and stomach cancer among Asians. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is cancer that occurs in the nasopharynx, which is the upper portion of the pharynx situated behind the nasal cavity.     Salted fish is produced and consumed mainly in Southeast Asia and northern Europe. It is prepared by treating fish with dry salt or a salt solution, and then drying the fish in the sun. Chinese-style salted fish is usually softened by partial decomposition before or during salting.   High levels of carcinogens, called N-nitrosodimethylamine, have been reported in some samples of Chinese-style salted fish. In addition, extracts of Chinese-style salted fish can trigger mutations in bacteria.   The pattern of nasopharyngeal carcinoma occurrence in China coincides with the consumption pattern of salted fish.   Babies and young children who eat Chinese-styled salted fish are at an especially high risk of developing nasopharyngeal cancer later.   Eight case-control research studies consistently demonstrate that consumption of Chinese-style salted fish is strongly related to increased risk for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. (Related web page, Detail research on nasopharyngeal carcinoma conducted in Taiwan)   Carcinogenic chemicals in food cured by nitrate / nitrite Nitrate / nitrite has been utilized in the curing of a wide range of meats, such as hams, sausage, bacon, corned beef, salami, wursts, frankfurters, luncheon meats, and smoked meats (including smoked salmon) etc. It has been claimed that the traditional value of salt as a preservative was due to the nitrate contamination. Bacteria present in the food would reduce the nitrate to nitrite, which is a potent anti-bacterial agent which would kill the bacteria present, and prevent further contamination. The savory taste of ham and luncheon meat comes at a cost: higher cancer risks   Carcinogenic nitrosamines are more likely to be formed when cured meats are cooked to a high temperature, as bacon is.   Food manufacturers enhance the pinkness of ham by the addition of nitrite, which reacts with the myoglobin in the ham to enhance the natural colour.   Nitrite can, under suitable conditions, react with secondary nitrogen compounds to yield N-nitroso compounds (e.g. nitrosamines), which is an extremely potent group of carcinogens.   Most meat and fish products to which nitrate have been added contain detectable levels of volatile nitrosamines, usually at very low concentrations.   Nitrosamines are more likely to be formed when cured meats are cooked to a high temperature, as bacon is.   In addition, during the digestion process, sodium nitrite is converted by certain gut bacteria (e.g. Helicobacter pylori) to nitrosamines.   Cancer-causing nitrosamines are also found in food items that are pickled, fried, or smoked; as well as items such as beer, cheese, fish byproducts, and tobacco smoke.   Some studies have found a link between highly processed meats (bacon, sausage, luncheon meats etc.) with colorectal and stomach cancers. (Related web page)   Other common salted and cured foods   Ham Steak   Sausage         Smoked fish usually have a lot of salt added before smoking.   Korean kimchi and other pickled vegetables contain very high salt content.