cheese in pregnancy-help

[suzanneb]

can i eat mozzarela cheese on pizza when pregnant???

[boobesque]

yes hun, mozarella is pasteurised

[clairelb]

Yes. The cheeses to avoid are those that have any mould on them such as blue cheeses or those with 'rinds' (not edam type rinds, more camenbert). Also any unpasteurised cheese is a no-no. Mozzarella is fine. Save a slice for me.

[boobesque]

Unpasteurised cheeses imported from abroad or made by small producers are safe to eat in pregnancy provided they are made from cow's milk and are not mould-ripened or blue-veined. The Food Standards Agency states that listeria is present in these cheeses in very low numbers and they are therefore not considered a risk during pregnancy. On the other hand, unpasteurised milk (from any animal) is not considered safe. In the USA, pregnant women are advised to avoid feta cheese because of the risk of listeria, but the feta cheese sold in the UK is considered safe to eat during pregnancy.

Cheeses which are SAFE to eat in pregnancy

Hard cheeses:
Austrian Smoked, Babybel, Caerphilly, Cheddar, Cheshire, Derby, Double Gloucester, Edam, Emmental, English goat's cheddar, Feta (if bought in the UK), Gouda, Gruyere, Halloumi, Havarti, Jarlsberg, Lancashire, Mozzarella, Orkney, Paneer, Parmesan, Pecorino (hard), Provolone, Red Leicester.

Soft and processed cheeses:
Boursin, cottage cheese, cheese spread, cream cheese, Mascarpone, Philadelphia, Quark, Ricotta.

Yoghurts, fromage frais, soured cream and creme fraiche -- any variety, including natural, flavoured and biologically active -- are all safe to eat.

Cheeses to AVOID in pregnancy

Mould-ripened soft cheeses:
Brie, Blue Brie, Cambozola, Camembert, Chaumes, Pont L'Eveque, Prince Jean, Tallegio. Vacherin-Fribourgeois, Weichkaese.

Blue-veined cheeses:
Bavarian Blue, Bergader, Bleu d'Auvergne, Blue Shropshire, Cabrales, Danish Blue, Dolcelatte, Doppelrhamstuge, Eldel pilz, Gorgonzola, Manchego, Romano, Roncal, Roquefort, Stilton, Tommes, Wensleydale (blue).

Soft unpasteurised goat and sheep's cheeses:
Chabichou, Pyramide, Torta del Cesar.

[boobesque]

all the cheeses listed in the cheese to avoid is safe to eat when cooked as long as its cooked thoroughly.

[redcrx]

If, like me, you crave brie when pregnant you can buy pastuerised brie in certain supermarkets. It is dearer (what a surprise) than standard brie though.