Doctor explores whether sausage sizzles could give you cancer

It’s one of the most iconic and popular foods around Australia, however a doctor has issued a warning that we cannot ignore.

Welcome to Ask Doctor Zac, a weekly column from news.com.au. This week, Dr Zac Turner explores the truth about processed meats and cancer.

QUESTION: Dear Dr Zac, I’ve heard horror stories that eating processed meats like bacon, ham, mortadella, and sausage sizzles at Bunnings will cause cancer. Now just after having voted I can’t believe how many polling stations featured none other than the famous Democracy Sausages. How real is the risk? Should I be cutting all of these foods out 100 per cent from my diet, or is a little bit okay? Cancer sounds like a horrible thing to have happen to me, and I would do anything to avoid it. Is it too late, or has my previous lifetime of eating processed meats doomed me to an early cancer diagnosis? – Sam, 42, Melbourne

ANSWER: Ah yes, the Bunnings snag — right up there with Tim Tams and Vegemite as a national institution. But could it be more sinister than it looks sizzling away on a white bread pillow with a squirt of sauce? Let’s break it down, bun and all.

The classic sausage sizzle might be riskier than you thought. Picture: Supplied

Processed meats and cancer: A very real link

Back in 2015, the World Health Organization classified processed meats — sausages, ham, salami, bacon — as Group 1 carcinogens, putting them in the same risk category as smoking and asbestos. That doesn’t mean a bacon and egg roll is as dangerous as a pack of smokes — but it does mean the science is conclusive: regular consumption increases your cancer risk, particularly for bowel cancer.

And you might be surprised what’s lurking in that humble $1.50 snag.

Sausages have been linked to an increased risk of cancer. iStock

What’s actually in your budget sausage?

Let’s take a look at the ingredients list from a typical Coles-brand thick BBQ sausage:

• 72 per cent meat (no added hormones beef, RSPCA-approved chicken, lamb)

• Rice flour, bamboo fibre – cheap fillers

• Thickeners, acidity regulators (sodium alginate, citric acid, lactic acid) – texture enhancers

• Preservative (sodium metabisulphite) – used to stop spoilage, but can cause allergic reactions and contribute to sulphite sensitivity

• Hydrolysed maize protein, dextrose – flavour boosters, often highly processed

• Mineral salt (451) – linked to gastrointestinal and kidney issues

• Vegetable powders, spice extracts, antioxidants, firming agents – sounds harmless, but these are often chemically derived

It’s basically the Frankenstein of meats — heavily processed, full of additives, and not exactly what nature intended.

The biggest concern? Nitrates and nitrites, commonly used in processed meats to enhance flavour and preserve shelf life. When exposed to high heat (hello, BBQ), they can form nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. Studies have shown these compounds can damage the lining of the bowel and lead to DNA changes in cells — the kind that pave the way to cancer.

Nitrates are the top concern. Picture: Christian Gilles

So, should you quit cold turkey?

You don’t need to go full Gwyneth Paltrow and swap sausages for celery juice. But moderation matters.

Even small daily amounts of processed meat (just 50g a day — that’s two slices of ham) can increase your risk of bowel cancer by 18 per cent. That risk adds up if you’re munching on ham sangas every lunch, bacon at brekkie, and a few sausage sizzles on the weekend.

Think of it like sun exposure — you don’t need to live in a cave, but overdoing it can cause long-term harm.

Pharell drinks celery juice. Picture: Instagram

However, there’s no need to go all Gwyneth. Picture: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for goop

Not just a sausage problem: Ham, ads, and public health

The South Australian Government is so concerned about the normalisation of ultra-processed foods that it’s moving to ban advertising for processed meats like ham on public transport. And honestly? That’s not a bad call.

As my colleague and pediatric nutritionist Mandy Sacher puts it: “Ham is not some innocent lunch box staple. It’s high in sodium, full of preservatives, and a classified Group 1 carcinogen. We shouldn’t be marketing it to families, especially in spaces where children see it every day.”

She’s spot on. Ultra-processed meats are not the kind of thing we want to teach kids to view as “everyday” food — especially when there are easy alternatives.

What can I put in my sandwich instead?

If you’re ready to give ham the flick (or at least a bit of a break), try these delicious, nourishing swaps:

• Leftover roast chicken or beef (bonus points for free-range or grass-fed)

• Hard-boiled eggs

• Smashed chickpeas with lemon and herbs

• Tuna or salmon mixed with Greek yoghurt

• Grilled zucchini, hummus and cheese

Roast chicken is a great alternative. Picture: iStock/Getty Images

These are real, whole foods that support your health without all the added nasties.

The good news? Our bodies are incredible at healing. If you reduce your intake of processed meats now, you can lower your long-term cancer risk. No need to panic or feel doomed — just pivot.

Enjoy your sausage sizzle now and then, but treat it like a treat — not an everyday food. Think of processed meats like that bad ex: fun in the moment, but not worth inviting into your daily routine.

So keep the salad, ditch the ham, and take charge of your health.

You’ve got this, Sam.

– Dr Zac

Got a question?

Email [e-mail]

Follow @DrZacTurner on Instagram

Dr Zac Turner is a medical practitioner with four health degrees, including a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Sydney. He is the medical director of Concierge Doctors, a national network of preventative health clinics and a PhD candidate Biomedical Engineering.

Originally published as Doctor explores whether sausage sizzles could give you cancer