Eating processed food significantly raises the risk of cancer, experts warned last night.

They said the disease was claiming more lives because of the popularity of ready meals, sugary cereals and fizzy drinks.

The products put middle-aged women in particular danger from breast cancer, according to a study in the British Medical Journal.

'Ultra-processed' food – any product involving an industrial procedure – now makes up half of our diet.

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Eating processed food significantly raises the risk of cancer, experts warned. They said the disease was claiming more lives because of the popularity of ready meals and sugary cereals

Packed with chemical additives, the foods bear little resemblance to home-cooked meals. And the more of them an individual eats, the higher their risk of cancer of any type.