At a glance
- Pregnant women are more likely to get sick from certain germs spread through food, like Listeria.
- Some foods are more likely to spread harmful germs, including undercooked meat and eggs, unpasteurized milk and cheese, and unwashed produce.
- If you are pregnant, choose safer food options to protect yourself and your baby.
- In addition to avoiding riskier foods, always follow the four steps to prevent food poisoning: clean, separate, cook, and chill.
Why it’s important
If you are pregnant, you are more likely than other people to get sick from certain germs.
To prevent food poisoning, some foods are safer choices than others. That’s because some foods—such as undercooked meat and eggs, unwashed fruits and vegetables, and unpasteurized milk—are more often associated with foodborne illnesses.
Fact
Pregnant women are 10 times more likely to get a Listeria infection.
Safer food choices
Use the table below as a guide to making safer food choices. Pregnant women should also always follow steps to prevent food poisoning.
| Poultry and Meat | |
|---|---|
| Riskier Choice | Safer Choice |
| Raw or undercooked poultry or meatPoultry includes chicken and turkeyMeat includes beef, pork, lamb, and vealUnheated deli meat, cold cuts, hot dogs, and fermented or dry sausagesRefrigerated pâté or meat spreads | Poultry and meat cooked to a safe internal temperature. Use a food thermometer to check.All poultry, including ground chicken and turkey, cooked to 165°FWhole cuts of beef, veal, lamb, and pork cooked to 145°F (then allow the meat to rest for 3 minutes before carving or eating)Ground meats, such as beef and pork, cooked to 160°FDeli meat, cold cuts, hot dogs, and fermented or dry sausages heated to 165°F or until steaming hotPâté or meat spreads in sealed, airtight containers that don’t need to be kept refrigerated before opening |
| Deli salads | |
| Riskier Choice | Safer Choice |
| Premade deli salads, such as:ColeslawPotato saladTuna saladChicken saladEgg salad | Homemade deli salads |
| Vegetables and Fruits | |
| Riskier Choice | Safer Choice |
| Any raw or undercooked sprouts, such as alfalfa and beanUnwashed fresh fruits and vegetables, including lettuce and other leafy greensCut melon left out for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it’s exposed to temperatures hotter than 90°F, such as a picnic or hot car) | Cooked sprouts (until steaming hot)Washed vegetables and fruits (washed and then cooked are safest)Freshly cut melon or cut melon kept refrigerated for 7 or fewer days |
| Juice | |
| Riskier Choice | Safer Choice |
| Unpasteurized juice or cider | Pasteurized juice or ciderUnpasteurized juice or cider brought to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute before drinking |
| Milk | |
| Riskier Choice | Safer Choice |
| Unpasteurized (raw) milk and dairy products made from raw milk | Pasteurized milk and dairy products made from pasteurized milk |
| Cheese | |
| Riskier Choice | Safer Choice |
| Soft cheese made from unpasteurized (raw) milk—for example, queso fresco, brie, camembert, and blue-veined cheeseAny queso fresco-type cheese, when made with pasteurized or unpasteurized (raw) milk, such as queso fresco, queso blanco, requesón, or similar fresh, soft cheesesUnheated cheese sliced at a deli | Hard cheese, when made with pasteurized milk, such as Asiago, Cheddar, Parmesan, or Swiss/Gruyere/EmmentalCottage cheese, cream cheese, string cheese, feta and mozzarella, when made with pasteurized milkPasteurized soft cheeses heated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hotDeli-sliced cheeses heated to 165°F or until steaming hot |
| Eggs | |
| Riskier Choice | Safer Choice |
| Raw or undercooked (runny) eggs, and foods that contain raw or undercooked eggs, such asCaesar salad dressingRaw cookie dough or raw batterHomemade eggnog | Eggs cooked until the yolks and whites are firmEgg dishes (frittata, quiche, casserole) cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F if they contain meat or poultryEgg dishes cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F if they do not contain meat or poultryPasteurized eggs in foods that will not be cooked to a safe temperature, such as mousse and salad dressing |
| Seafood | |
| Riskier Choice | Safer Choice |
| Raw or undercooked fish or shellfish, including sashimi, sushi, and cevicheRefrigerated smoked seafood (except in a cooked dish). Refrigerated smoked seafood is usually labeled as “nova-style,” “lox,” “kippered,” “smoked,” or “jerky”Fish that contain high amounts of mercury, such asSharkSwordfishKing mackerelTilefish | Fish cooked to a safe internal temperature of 145°F or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a forkShellfish cooked until shells open during cooking or until flesh is pearly or white, and opaqueSmoked fish in sealed, airtight packages or containers that don’t need to be kept refrigerated before openingSmoked fish cooked in a casserole or other cooked dishesCanned fish and seafoodFish that contain low amounts of mercury, such asShrimpCanned light tunaSalmonPollockCatfish |
| Flour | |
| Riskier Choice | Safer Choice |
| Raw dough or raw batter made with raw (uncooked) flour | Food made with flour that is cooked following the package directions or recipeDough and batter made with heat-treated flour and pasteurized eggsDough and batter that is labeled “edible” or “safe to eat raw” |
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/foods/pregnant-women.html
