Randy Chandler
When it comes to pregnancy, there are some foods that are best avoided. Cheese is one of them, but not all cheese is off the menu. Soft cheeses, blue-veined cheeses, and Mexican-style cheeses are all best avoided when pregnant, as they can harbour harmful bacteria. This is because they are often made with unpasteurised milk, which can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that can harm your baby.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese type | Soft |
| Bacteria | High moisture content makes it easy for bacteria to grow |
| Pasteurization | Unpasteurized |
| Listeriosis | Can be caused by eating unpasteurized cheese |
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What You'll Learn
Soft cheeses
Pregnant women can eat soft cheese clearly labelled as pasteurized. If you're unsure whether a soft cheese is pasteurized, and it's not steaming hot, skip it. It's also important to ensure you handle dairy food safely. One of the ways to do that is to store milk and other dairy foods refrigerated at 39.2° F. Such low temperatures prevent the multiplication of bacteria.
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Blue-veined cheeses
When shopping for cheese, it is important to check the labels to see if the cheese is made using pasteurised milk. If it’s not clear from the labels, you can ask the store attendants or opt for something else.
To avoid the risk of listeriosis, it is recommended that pregnant women only eat soft cheeses that are clearly labelled as pasteurised. If you're unsure whether a soft cheese is pasteurised, and it's not steaming hot, it's best to skip it.
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Bacteria-ripened cheeses
Pregnant women should be careful with bacteria-ripened cheeses, as well as soft cheeses and blue-veined cheeses. This is because soft cheeses are high in moisture, which makes it easy for bacteria to grow.
It is important to check the labels of cheese products to see if they are made using pasteurized milk. If it is not clear from the label, you can ask store attendants or opt for something else. One way to ensure safe handling of dairy food is to store milk and other dairy products refrigerated at 39.2° F, as such low temperatures prevent the multiplication of bacteria.
Some examples of soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk that are of particular concern for pregnant women include Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, gorgonzola, and queso fresco.
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Mexican-style cheeses
Pregnant women should avoid eating unpasteurised cheese, as it can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that can harm the baby. Soft cheeses are particularly high-risk, as their high moisture content makes it easy for bacteria to grow. Mexican-style cheeses made from unpasteurised milk, including queso fresco, Panela, Asadero and queso blanco, are therefore best avoided during pregnancy. Consuming unpasteurised queso fresco and cotija cheese is of particular concern, as a disproportionate number of cheese-based listeria outbreaks can be traced back to them.
Pregnant women should also be careful with blue-veined cheeses, which are usually made with unpasteurised milk. Roquefort and gorgonzola, for example, are made with unpasteurised milk. If you're unsure whether a soft cheese is pasteurised, and it's not steaming hot, it's best to skip it.
Hard cheeses are usually considered safe, even when made with unpasteurised milk, because they have a low moisture content which makes the growth of bacteria difficult.
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Pasteurised vs unpasteurised
Pregnant women should avoid eating unpasteurised cheese, as it can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that can harm the baby. Unpasteurised cheeses are often soft cheeses, which have a high moisture content that makes it easy for bacteria to grow. Examples of soft, unpasteurised cheeses to avoid include Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, gorgonzola, queso fresco, Panela, Asadero and queso blanco.
On the other hand, hard cheeses are usually considered safe even when made with unpasteurised milk, because they have a low moisture content which makes the growth of bacteria difficult. However, it's still important to check the labels of hard cheeses to ensure they are made with pasteurised milk.
When shopping for cheese, pregnant women should be careful with soft cheeses, blue-veined cheeses, and bacteria-ripened cheeses. If it's not clear from the label whether a cheese is made with pasteurised milk, it's best to ask a store attendant or opt for something else.
For other dairy products like cream, ice cream, and yoghurt, opt for those with the word "pasteurised" on the label. It's also important to handle dairy food safely, by storing milk and other dairy foods refrigerated at 39.2° F to prevent the multiplication of bacteria.
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Frequently asked questions
Pregnant women should avoid soft cheeses, blue-veined cheeses, and bacteria-ripened cheeses.
Soft cheeses are high in moisture, which makes it easy for bacteria to grow. Eating unpasteurised cheese can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that can harm your baby.
Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, gorgonzola, queso fresco, Panela, Asadero and queso blanco.
Hard cheeses are usually considered safe, even when made with unpasteurised milk, because they have a low moisture content which makes the growth of bacteria difficult.
