This volume of the IARC Monographs presents evaluations of the carcinogenic hazard to humans of drinking coffee and very hot beverages including, but not limited to, mate. An IARC Monographs Working Group reviewed epidemiological evidence, animal bioassays and co-carcinogenicity studies, and mechanistic and other relevant data to reach conclusions as to the carcinogenic hazard to humans of drinking coffee, mate, and very hot beverages. The Working Group assessed more than 1000 observational and experimental studies that investigated the association between cancer at more than 20 sites with drinking coffee, mate, and very hot beverages.

This volume of the IARC Monographs provides evaluations of the consumption of red meat and the consumption of processed meat. Red meat refers to unprocessed mammalian muscle meat (e.g. beef, veal, pork, lamb) including that which may be minced or frozen. Processed meat refers to meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation. Most processed meats contain pork or beef, but may also contain other meats including poultry and offal (e.g. liver) or meat by-products such as blood. Red meat contains proteins of high biological value, and important micronutrients such as B vitamins, iron (both free iron and haem iron), and zinc. Carcinogens, including heterocyclic aromatic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, can be produced by cooking of meat, with greatest amounts generated at high temperatures by pan-frying, grilling, or barbecuing. Meat processing such as curing and smoking can result in formation of carcinogenic chemicals including N-nitroso compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. An IARC Monographs Working Group reviewed epidemiological evidence, animal bioassays, and mechanistic and other relevant data to reach conclusions as to the carcinogenic hazard to humans of the consumption of red meat and processed meat. The Working Group assessed more than 800 epidemiological studies that investigated the association of cancer (more than 15 types) with consumption of red meat or processed meat, including large cohorts in many countries, from several continents, with diverse ethnicities and diets.

Evaluates the carcinogenic risk to humans posed by the ingestion of several naturally occurring substances. Separate monographs are presented for two food items (salted fish and pickled vegetables), two naturally occurring plant substances (caffeic acid and d-limonene), four heterocyclic aromatic amines found in cooked meat and fish, and selected mycotoxins, including aflatoxins. The monograph on salted fish concentrates on fish as traditionally prepared in southern China, where very high rates of nasopharyngeal carcinoma have been linked to the consumption of salted fish prepared in a manner which involves putrefaction. The monograph concludes that Chinese-style salted fish is carcinogenic to humans. The second monograph concludes that pickled vegetables prepared according to traditional Asian methods are possibly carcinogenic to humans. Caffeic acid was judged to be possibly carcinogenic to humans. The report was unable to classify the carcinogenicity of d-limonene. For the heterocyclic aromatic amines present in cooked meat and fish, IQ was classified as probably carcinogenic to humans; MeIQ MeIQx and PhIP were classified as possibly carcinogenic. The most extensive monograph on aflatoxins concludes that naturally occurring mixtures of aflatoxins are carcinogenic to humans and that aflatoxin M1 occurring in milk is possibly carcinogenic. Toxins derived from Fusarium moniliforme and ochratoxin A, which has been linked to Balkan endemic nephropathy, were classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans. The remaining mycotoxins could not be classified.