Browsing the aisles of supermarkets has just become a little more fraught for the health conscious. Many will probably be giving processed meat products an even wider berth than before following the publication of some weighty research findings that these products cause cancer.

Twenty-two experts from the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer considered more than 800 studies and concluded that processed meat is carcinogenic. They found sufficient evidence that its consumption causes colorectal cancer and, possibly, pancreatic and prostate cancer too.

More specifically, if one were to eat more than 50 grams a day, this increases the risk of developing cancer by 18 per cent. The more processed meat one eats, the higher the risk.

The evidence for a link between red meat and cancer was not as solid, with the WHO giving it a “probably carcinogenic” rating.

So, should we be purging our fridges of all the hot dogs, ham and sausages that it harbours, not to mention binning the corned beef and luncheon meat that may be lurking in our pantry? And should we be putting less steak and pork on the dinner table while cutting down on those trips to the kebab shop?

It would seem from the new research that this depends a lot on how much of the stuff we consume. If there is a message to take home from the study, in place of that lamb kebab, it is the wisdom of moderation. Moderation is the watchword for those keen on living a healthy lifestyle and lengthening their lifespan. A study like this proves that this approach is right and has definite benefits.

For one thing, if there is a class of foods – such as processed meat – which contains an element that is potentially harmful, one reduces the health risks it presents by eating less of it. Furthermore, moderation implies eating a wider variety of foods rather than a lot of the same thing, which also means one is less likely to be lacking in some essential nutrient.

To moderation one might now also want to add “unprocessed” as a general guide to sensible eating. The WHO says it is not yet clear how cancer risk is increased by processed or red meat but suspects it is to do with the chemicals that form during the processing or cooking. Of course, we don’t want our red meat raw but it appears the more humans interfere in the process of bringing food from the animal or soil to the table the greater the likelihood it will contain some harmful chemical.

Beyond the lessons the WHO research presents to individuals seeking a more wholesome way of eating, it strengthens the argument that foods must carry clear and detailed labelling. If a chemical in a foodstuff is known or strongly suspected to be carcinogenic, consumers should be told about this on the packet. Great strides forward have been made in labelling rules in recent years but, while processed meat is not considered as dangerous as smoking, there is now a case for producers to inform their customers about its potential carcinogenicity.

This, along with healthy eating campaigns sometimes embarked on by the government, is part of wresting one’s food buying habits out of the clutches of the powerful food industry, which cannot be trusted to volunteer any negative information. The WHO study drives home that what we put into our mouths every day, too often mindlessly, is hugely important to our long-term well-being.

Public and self-education is key to putting that realisation into practice.