There is no sound evidence regarding unprocessed red meats posing a risk of cancer, ICSA president Dermot Kelleher has said.

The research conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) report on behalf of the World Health Organisation (WHO) also found only a marginal increased risk in the case of processed meats where the smoking of meat may be the issue.

This comes on the back of moves by the EU to block funding for red meat promotion, which ICSA has slammed as "a wilful misrepresentation of the actual research."

"Apart from the fact that it is not based on robust evidence, it is distorting fair competition and actually undermining highly nutritious food produced by EU livestock farmers," Kelleher said.

Other factors

Kelleher also noted it is difficult to single out meat eating in such studies when other factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption apply.

“The reality is that the EU is taking a very ideological position on red meat that is not supported by incontrovertible evidence.

"A balanced diet with a focus on reducing or eliminating ultra-processed foods is still likely to be a better strategy," he said.

“The question that I am asking is whether the member state governments have sanctioned this and what position did Ireland take? This comes on top of the EU Nutriscore proposals, which is a highly contentious and potentially reckless effort to reduce assessment of food to a traffic light score card."

Kelleher said that the ICSA has already spoken out against the use of the Nutriscore.

"The Nutriscore is based on algorithms that almost nobody understands, and as a result, highly processed junk food can end up being scored as better than nutritious beef or lamb.

“We need a lot more transparency around who is making these decisions and what lobbying is being carried out by big food corporations," he said.

He also argued that investment by big international investors in plant-based food needs to be carefully examined.

"The risk is that health and climate change are being hi-jacked as a way of generating returns for billionaire investors.

"While we cannot stop consumer choice, the EU should not be used as a vehicle to assist these investments to generate bigger returns based on flimsy research assessment," he said.