A lot of Chinese people who think they can't live without processed meat, including ham and hot dogs, may be saddened by the report released on Monday by the World Health Organization saying that processed meat contributes to cancer.

Foods containing preserved salted pork and ham are a culinary tradition in many parts of China.

It has long been suspected that processed meat damages health, according to Fan Zhihong, a researcher in nutrition and food safety at China Agricultural University. Studies have found that frequent consumption of processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer and may also contribute to breast cancer, she said.