Thousands of schools serving meals that could contain cancer-causing chemicals

Children and young people are potentially being exposed to ‘hidden health risks’ in canteens. Photograph: Gary Calton/The Observer

Thousands of schools are serving pupils meals that includes meat that has been cured with chemicals shown to increase the risk of cancer.

Local education authorities (LEAs) across England and Wales have said that some or all of the schools in their area are using meat that has been treated with either nitrites or nitrates.