What cheese to avoid when pregnant

Foods to avoid when pregnant

Key facts

When you’re pregnant, avoid eating soft cheeses, unpasteurised milk products and undercooked meat, fish and eggs — these may contain germs that can harm your baby.
Wash all fruits and vegetables and don’t eat them if they’ve been pre-cut.
Limit how much fish you eat, especially large fish — they contain mercury, which can be harmful to your baby in high levels.
Don’t eat leftovers that are more than a day old and make sure they’ve been kept in the fridge and reheated throughout to a high temperature.
Avoid alcohol when you’re pregnant and limit coffee and tea so you don’t have too much caffeine.

Which foods should I avoid when I’m pregnant?

When you’re pregnant, eating a variety of healthy foods is good for you and your baby. However, there are some foods you should not eat when you're pregnant because they might make you ill or harm your baby. There are also some foods that are safe to eat, but you need to be careful not to have too much of them.

The main foods to avoid include:

soft cheeses
undercooked or raw meat, fish and seafood
pre-prepared or unwashed fruits and vegetables
soft-serve ice cream
undercooked or raw eggs
unpasteurised milk
alcohol

Foods to limit include:

caffeine
fish
liver

What are the risks of eating these foods?

Each of these foods carry different risks during pregnancy. Some foods could be contaminated with germs — these can cause infections and may be harmful for you or your baby. Other foods contain substances that can harm your baby.

Listeriosis

Listeriosis, caused by the bacteria listeria, is a rare infection that is usually not a problem for healthy people. However, if you’re pregnant it can make you unwell. If your baby becomes infected, it can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or premature labour.

Foods that could be contaminated with listeria include:

leftovers and pre-prepared foods
unwashed or pre-cut fruits and vegetables
soft cheeses, unpasteurised milk products and soft-serve ice cream
smoked or raw seafood
smoked meats, pâté and cold chicken
rockmelon and raw sprouts
unpasteurised juice

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis, caused by the parasite toxoplasma, is an infection that can affect your baby if you get it for the first time when you’re pregnant. This is rare in Australia, but it’s important to be cautious because it can cause your baby to have brain damage or blindness.

Foods that could be contaminated with toxoplasma include:

undercooked meat
unwashed fruits and vegetables

Salmonella

The bacteria salmonella can make you unwell with food poisoning. If you get it when you’re pregnant it can cause miscarriage, but this is rare.

Foods that could be contaminated with salmonella include:

raw or undercooked eggs and eggs that were cracked during storage
sesame seeds, hummus and tahini
undercooked meat and chicken
sprouts

Mercury

Fish is a healthy and nutritious part of your diet when you’re pregnant, but be aware that fish contains mercury. High levels of mercury can affect your baby’s developing nervous system.

Some types of fish have higher levels of mercury than others. This is usually higher in the larger predatory fish. The highest levels are found in shark, marlin, broadbill, swordfish, orange roughy and catfish.

Vitamin A

Too much vitamin A (also called retinol) can harm your baby. Liver contains a lot of vitamin A and should be limited.

Alcohol

If you drink a lot of alcohol during pregnancy, your baby could develop fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Alcohol can also increase your risk of miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth.

Caffeine

High levels of caffeine can increase your risk of miscarriage, premature birth and having a baby with a low birth weight. Caffeine is naturally found in lots of foods, such as coffee, tea and chocolate. It is also added to some soft drinks and energy drinks.

How can I make sure the food I eat is safe?

As a general rule, the best foods to eat are freshly and thoroughly cooked or freshly prepared. Take care to always store and prepare food safely. Don’t eat anything that has passed its use-by date.

Here is a guide to eating safely during pregnancy.

Dairy products

Drink only pasteurised or ultra-heat treated (UHT or long-life) milk. Make sure that you only eat dairy products made from pasteurised milk.

Don't eat mould-ripened soft cheese, such as brie, camembert and chevre (a type of goat's cheese) and others with a similar rind. You should also avoid ricotta, feta, mozzarella, bocconcini and blue-veined cheeses. These may contain listeria, which can get in during the manufacturing process. It’s okay to eat them if they are cooked to at least 75°C and eaten straight away.

It’s fine to eat hard cheeses such as cheddar, parmesan and edam. Hard cheeses are more acidic than soft cheeses, so bacteria are less likely to grow in them.

Many other types of soft cheese are okay to eat, but make sure they're packaged by the manufacturer. They include cottage cheese, cream cheese and processed cheeses such as cheese spreads.

Don't eat soft-serve ice cream. It is stored at a temperature that allows listeria to grow. It’s okay to eat packaged frozen ice cream.

Eggs

Make sure eggs are thoroughly cooked until the whites and yolks are solid. This prevents the risk of salmonella food poisoning.

Don’t eat foods that contain raw or undercooked eggs, such as homemade mayonnaise, aioli, mousses, or cake batters. It’s okay to eat commercially-made, non-refrigerated products containing egg, but make sure to store them correctly.

Don’t use dirty eggs, or eggs that were cracked and stored before use.

Meat

Don't eat rare meat. Undercooked meat may contain toxoplasma or salmonella. Cook all meat and poultry thoroughly so it is steaming hot and there is no trace of pink. Take care with pork, sausages and minced meat, including burgers.

Wash all surfaces and utensils thoroughly after preparing raw meat. Use a separate chopping board and knife. It's also important to remember to wash your hands after touching or handling raw meat.

Avoid cold cured meats, such as salami, ham, chorizo and pepperoni. It’s okay to eat them if they are cooked to at least 75°C and eaten straight away.

Don’t eat cold meats from delicatessen counters and sandwich bars, packaged sliced ready-to-eat meats or cold cooked ready-to-eat chicken. Avoid all types of pâté. These may contain listeria. Hot take-away chicken is fine if you eat it straight away.

Limit your intake of liver or liver products, such as liver pâté or liver sausage — don’t eat more than 50 grams per week, as they contain a lot of vitamin A.

Fish and seafood

Fish contains protein and essential omega-3 fatty acids, so it is recommended in pregnancy. However, it’s important to limit your intake of fish with higher levels of mercury.

You can do this by following these guidelines (keep in mind that a serving is 150 grams):

Shark (also called flake), broadbill, marlin and swordfish should be eaten no more than once every 2 weeks. Don’t eat any other fish during that 2 week period.
Orange roughy (also called deep sea perch) and catfish should be eaten no more than once a week. Don’t eat any other fish during that week.
Any other fish or seafood should be eaten no more than 2 to 3 times a week.

Freshly cooked fish and seafood are safe to eat within these guidelines. Make sure to cook them to at least 63°C and eat them straight away.

Don’t eat raw or chilled fish or seafood. This includes raw oysters, sashimi and sushi, smoked ready-to-eat seafood and cooked ready-to-eat chilled prawns. These have a higher risk of listeria contamination.

The safest way to enjoy sushi is to make your own. Choose fully cooked or vegetarian varieties. Avoid buying sushi.

Fruit and vegetables

Avoid pre-prepared or pre-packaged fruit or vegetable salads, including those from buffets and salad bars. They are at risk of listeria contamination.

Don’t eat rockmelon or any type of sprouts, as they may contain listeria or salmonella.

Wash fruit, vegetables and herbs to remove all traces of soil and dirt. Toxoplasma can sometimes be found in soil.

Sesame seeds may contain salmonella, so it’s best to avoid all sesame products, such as hummus, tahini and halva.

Can I drink alcohol during pregnancy?

There is no known safe level of alcohol that you can have during your pregnancy. Whether you are planning a pregnancy, already pregnant or breastfeeding, not drinking is the safest option as alcohol can harm your unborn baby.

Can I have caffeine during pregnancy?

You don’t need to cut out caffeine completely, but don’t have more than 200mg a day. The approximate amounts of caffeine found in food and drinks are:

1 teaspoon of instant coffee: 80mg
1 shot of espresso coffee: 145mg
1 cup of tea: 50mg
375ml can of cola: 36.4mg
250ml can of energy drink: 80mg
100g bar of milk chocolate: 20mg

To cut down on caffeine, try decaffeinated tea and coffee, fruit juice or mineral water instead of regular tea, coffee and cola.

Energy drinks are not recommended during pregnancy as they may contain high levels of caffeine or guarana (which also contains caffeine).

Can I eat leftovers during pregnancy?

Be cautious with leftover food, as it can become contaminated with listeria. If you want to eat leftovers, put them straight in the fridge in a covered container. Don’t keep them for more than a day and reheat them to at least 60°C.

Can I eat foods that my baby might be allergic to?

It’s fine to eat peanuts or food containing peanuts (such as peanut butter) during pregnancy, unless you are allergic to them. It’s also fine to eat other foods considered to be highly allergenic. Cutting these foods out of your diet during pregnancy is not recommended, as this has not been shown to prevent allergies in your baby.

Resources and support

Check out our handy guide to food and drink during pregnancy (infographic) that you can print off to stick on your fridge or keep in your bag.

Look at this quick reference table by the NSW Government Food Authority, to work out what’s safe to eat and what needs special precautions.

Visit Food Standards Australia New Zealand for more information about mercury in fish and listeria.

Speak to a maternal child health nurse

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Foods to avoid in pregnancy

Most foods and drinks are safe to have during pregnancy. But there are some things you should be careful with or avoid.

Cheese, milk and other dairy

What you can eat

pasteurised or unpasteurised hard cheeses, such as cheddar, Gruyere and parmesan
pasteurised semi-hard cheeses, such as Edam and Stilton
pasteurised soft cheeses, such as cottage cheese, mozzarella, feta, cream cheese, paneer, ricotta, halloumi, goats' cheese without a white coating on the outside (rind) and processed cheese spreads
soft or blue cheese (pasteurised or unpasteurised) that has been cooked until steaming hot
pasteurised milk, yoghurt, cream and ice cream

What to avoid

any other foods made from unpasteurised milk, such as soft ripened goats' cheese
pasteurised or unpasteurised mould-ripened soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside, such as Brie, Camembert and chèvre (unless cooked until steaming hot)
pasteurised or unpasteurised soft blue cheeses, such as Danish blue, Gorgonzola and Roquefort (unless cooked until steaming hot)
unpasteurised cows' milk, goats' milk, sheep's milk or cream

Why

There's a small chance that unpasteurised or soft ripened dairy products may contain Listeria bacteria. This can cause an infection called listeriosis.

Listeriosis can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth, or make your newborn baby very unwell.

Soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside have more moisture. This can make it easier for bacteria to grow.

Cooking cheese until it's steaming hot kills bacteria, reducing the risk of listeriosis.

Meat and poultry

What you can eat

meats such as chicken, pork and beef, as long as they're well-cooked with no trace of pink or blood; be especially careful with poultry, pork, sausages and burgers
cold, pre-packed meats such as ham and corned beef

What to be careful with

cold cured meats, such as salami, pepperoni, chorizo and prosciutto (unless cooked thoroughly)

What to avoid

raw or undercooked meat
liver and liver products
all types of pâté, including vegetarian pâté
game meats such as goose, partridge or pheasant

Why

There's a small risk of getting toxoplasmosis if you eat raw and undercooked meat, which can cause miscarriage.

Cured meats are not cooked, so they may have parasites in them that cause toxoplasmosis.

Liver and liver products have lots of vitamin A in them. This can be harmful to an unborn baby.

Game meats may contain lead shot.

Eggs

What you can eat

raw, partially cooked and fully cooked British Lion hen eggs (they have a lion stamp on them) and hen eggs produced under the Laid in Britain scheme
foods made with raw hen egg, such as mousse and mayonnaise, if made with British Lion eggs or hen eggs produced under the Laid in Britain scheme
well cooked eggs (white and yolk) from any hen eggs that are not British Lion eggs or produced under the Laid in Britain scheme
well cooked eggs (white and yolk) of all other eggs, including duck, goose or quail

What to avoid

raw or partially cooked hen eggs that are not British Lion or produced under the Laid in Britain scheme
raw or partially cooked duck, goose or quail eggs

Why

British Lion hen eggs and hen eggs produced under the Laid in Britain scheme are less likely to have salmonella in them.

Salmonella is unlikely to harm your unborn baby, but you could get food poisoning.

You should cook all eggs thoroughly, unless they are British Lion hen eggs or hen eggs produced under the Laid in Britain scheme.

Fish

What you can eat

cooked fish and seafood
sushi, as long as the fish has been cooked thoroughly
cooked shellfish, such as mussels, lobster, crab, prawns, scallops and clams
cold pre-cooked prawns

What to be careful with

smoked fish, such as smoked salmon and trout

Important: Smoked fish and listeria

Due to a listeria outbreak linked to smoked fish, people at higher risk of serious infection (including people who are pregnant) should only eat smoked fish products that have been thoroughly cooked.

When cooking smoked fish products at home, make sure they are steaming hot all the way through.

Find out more about the listeria outbreak in smoked fish from the Food Standards Agency

What to limit

you should eat no more than 2 portions of oily fish a week, such as salmon, trout, mackerel or herring
you should eat no more than 2 tuna steaks (about 140g cooked or 170g raw) or 4 medium-size cans of tuna (about 140g when drained) per week

Information:

Tuna does not count as an oily fish

You can have 2 tuna steaks, or 4 medium-size cans of fish, as well as 2 portions of oily fish.

What to avoid

swordfish
marlin
shark
raw shellfish

Why

You should limit tuna because it has more mercury in it than other fish. If you eat too much mercury, it can be harmful to your unborn baby.

You should limit oily fish because they can have pollutants such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls in them. If you eat too much of these, they can be harmful to your unborn baby.

You should avoid raw shellfish because they can have harmful bacteria, viruses or toxins in them. These can make you unwell and give you food poisoning.

Other foods and drinks

Caffeine

You can have caffeine, but no more than 200mg per day.

There is:

100mg in a mug of instant coffee
140mg in a mug of filter coffee
75mg in a mug of tea (green tea can have the same amount of caffeine as regular tea)
40mg in a can of cola
80mg in a 250ml can of energy drink
less than 25mg in a 50g bar of plain dark chocolate
less than 10mg in a 50g bar of plain milk chocolate

Alcohol

Drinking alcohol in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to your baby.

If you're pregnant or planning to get pregnant, the safest approach is to not drink alcohol at all.

This keeps risks to your baby to a minimum.

Herbal teas

You should drink no more than 4 cups of herbal tea a day.

Liquorice

Liquorice is safe to eat. But you should avoid liquorice root.

Fruits, vegetables and salads

Be careful with fruits, vegetables and salads as they can have soil on them, which can make you unwell.

Make sure to thoroughly wash all fruits, vegetables and salad ingredients.

Peanuts

You do not need to avoid eating peanuts when you're pregnant.

Only avoid eating peanuts if you're advised to by a healthcare professional or if you have a nut allergy.

Vitamins

Do not take high-dose multivitamin supplements, or any supplements with vitamin A in them.

Urgent advice: Call 111 if:

you feel unwell after eating one of the foods to avoid
you have signs of listeriosis or toxoplasmosis infection

Try not to worry if you've eaten one of the foods to avoid.

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Page last reviewed: 16 April 2020
Next review due: 16 April 2023

the whole truth about the fermented milk product

Pregnant women try to monitor their diet and include healthy foods containing a variety of vitamins and trace elements in their diet. Cheese is one such product. However, future mothers do not even realize that some types of cheese should not be eaten during pregnancy.

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Fermented milk products, which include cheese, are a source of calcium and protein, which is so necessary for mother and child during pregnancy. However, you need to be careful with some types of cheese.

Contents of the article

Do not self-medicate! In our articles, we collect the latest scientific data and the opinions of authoritative health experts. But remember: only a doctor can diagnose and prescribe treatment.

Can pregnant women eat cheese?

Most cheeses can be eaten during pregnancy. Hard cheeses such as cheddar and parmesan, as well as soft pasteurized cheeses, are safe in moderation.

Pasteurization is the heating of milk to a certain temperature to kill potentially harmful bacteria.

Cheese is a good source of calcium and protein, which strengthen bones and promote healthy growth of the baby in the womb.

A slice of cheese, along with whole grain crackers (or other complex carbohydrates), can help eliminate nausea, increase energy levels and mood, avoid headaches, and improve sleep.

However, you need to know the measure. Because cheese is also high in sodium and saturated fat. One serving of cheese should be 100 grams - about the size of a thumb.

Doctors recommend that pregnant women consume a total of three servings of dairy products per day, preferably low fat, which include milk, yogurt, cottage cheese in addition to cheese.

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Benefits of cheese for pregnant women

Each type of cheese has its own unique composition. Different varieties of this fermented milk product differ in the percentage of fat content and the content of nutrients.

Useful qualities common to most types of cheese:

high protein content, which is an integral part of blood, lymph, and also participates in the formation of embryonic tissues;
the ability to increase appetite, which is especially important in cases of toxicosis in pregnant women;
saturation with B vitamins, which are responsible for the proper growth of the fetus, improve metabolic processes, increase the energy reserves of the body;
high content of calcium, which strengthens bones, improves the condition of the skin, nails and hair;
low lactose, which is not well tolerated by many people;
beneficial effect on brain activity;
the ability to normalize blood pressure and have a sedative effect.

Cheeses such as Poshekhonsky and Hollandsky have a high energy value, so they are best consumed during breakfast.

Cheese made from yak milk contains folic acid, the most important element in the formation of all systems and organs of the baby, which reduces the risk of neural tube defects.

Adyghe cheese has a low fat content, so it is often recommended for pregnant women who are prone to gaining excess weight.

Fatty varieties can be included in the menu during pregnancy, but they have a low content of vitamins E and D. These vitamins are very important for the proper development of the baby in the womb, they are involved in the formation of his skeletal system, prevent the development of intrauterine anomalies, and also reduce the risk of premature births and miscarriages.

Which cheese is best for pregnancy?

1. Hard cheese such as cheddar, russian, parmesan, maasdam, gouda, edam and cheddar are the safest choice during pregnancy.

Hard cheese contains less moisture than soft cheese, making it less likely to grow potentially harmful bacteria, even if made from unpasteurized milk.

2. Pasteurized soft cheese during pregnancy is another win-win option.

Almost all cheeses sold in the retail chain are pasteurized by default. You can come across unpasteurized cheese at the farmers' market or buy imported cheese at the grocery store.

During pregnancy, it is better to buy cheeses with labels that are produced in factories inspected by Rospotrebnadzor.

Safe soft cheeses (if pasteurized) are: creamy, cottage cheese, feta, Adyghe, mascarpone and philadelphia.

3. It is safe to eat any cheese that has been heated to steam, such as on pizza. Since Listeria grows at low temperatures, and dies at high temperatures.

Cheese to avoid during pregnancy

It is recommended to avoid unpasteurized soft cheese during pregnancy. This product may contain listeria bacteria, which cause listeriosis, a dangerous disease for pregnant women.

When Listeria penetrates the placenta into the amniotic fluid, the embryo becomes infected. His death can occur both in the womb and immediately after birth.

The mother, being a carrier of the disease, can infect the baby during childbirth. Among the signs of the disease that can occur in a woman, nausea, chills, and muscle pain can be distinguished.

Most commonly, Listeria is found in soft varieties and gourmet favorite blue cheeses. To protect herself and her baby from this dangerous bacterium, a woman should not include cheese products made from milk that has not undergone pasteurization in her diet.

Pregnant women are 10 times more likely to develop listeriosis than the general population. This infection can be transmitted to the unborn child and cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, or death of the newborn.

The following types of cheese should be avoided by the expectant mother:

brie;
danablu, savoy, dor blue, roquefort, cambonzola and others molded;
shabishu;
camembert;
cheeses made from goat's and sheep's milk, not pasteurized.

Pasteurized cheese can also be contaminated with Listeria if produced in unsanitary conditions.

Processed cheeses are also not recommended for pregnant women, as they contain a lot of salt and have a high percentage of fat.

Due to the high salt content, doctors do not advise the expectant mother to consume the suluguni variety, as well as smoked sausage cheeses and other cheese products, which often contain preservatives and dyes.

Mozzarella and other pickled cheeses should not be eaten in large quantities.

If you are not sure if soft cheese is pasteurized, stop eating it.

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Do you like blue cheese?

Is it possible to eat cheese during pregnancy?

Cheese is a tasty and healthy product, beloved by many. That is why the statement of some doctors that any cheese is strictly forbidden to women during pregnancy can seriously spoil the mood. However, you should not despair - if you dig deeper, it turns out that everything is not so categorical. Below we will understand what are the benefits and harms of cheeses for pregnant women.

Which cheeses should be avoided during pregnancy? These are unpasteurized cheeses, which may contain Listeria monocyotogenes, the bacterium that causes listeriosis. Acute infectious disease is severe and is accompanied by chills, high fever, muscle pain, nausea and vomiting. Such a severe clinical picture can lead to a miscarriage or the development of severe pathologies in the fetus - given this, it is necessary to be extremely selective in choosing cheeses during childbearing.

The infectious bacterium lives in unpasteurized cheeses made from sheep's and goat's milk that have not undergone heat treatment. We are talking about soft types of cheese and varieties with mold: dor blue, brie, camembert, cambonzola, etc. Also at risk are cheeses with blue mold: Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Savoy cheese. Such products contain a lot of liquid and little acid, which is the most favorable environment for the development of Listeria monocyotogenes.

Why mold is harmful when carrying a child

In addition to the risk of getting sick with listeriosis, eating delicious marbled cheeses, you run the risk of experiencing all the delights of the impact on the body of "noble" mold. So, valuable blue mold, which gives cheeses such a refined taste, endows the product with a number of side qualities. Being a pure antibiotic, mold kills the beneficial microflora that inhabits the body, which can cause intestinal dysbacteriosis and disrupt the digestive tract.

An imbalance of water and lactic acid in moldy foods can lead to the growth of fungus in the body, which is also highly undesirable for a pregnant woman who is already in a vulnerable state. Given the foregoing, doctors strongly recommend abandoning "live" cheeses for the period of bearing a child.

Which cheeses are safe for pregnant women? Under the influence of high temperature and careful processing, pathogenic bacteria die, making the cheese not only tasty, but also safe.

Such cheeses include: gouda, maasdam, parmesan, cheddar, Poshekhonsky, etc. - all of them will not harm a pregnant woman, since the environment favorable for the life of bacteria is destroyed during high temperature processing. Eating hard cheeses, you will get the whole range of nutrients, saturate the body with calcium and, in addition, diversify your diet with a delicious product.

There is also good news for lovers of soft cheeses: there are varieties that pregnant women can safely include in their diet. These include delicious varieties such as feta, philadelphia, mascarpone, cottage cheese, goat cheese without rind (pasteurized), processed cheese, etc. The technology for the production of such cheeses involves heat treatment, during which bacteria die. With soft cheeses, you can create various dishes, including delicious and healthy desserts - what could be better for a pregnant woman!