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Playing it Safe: Deli Meats and Soft Cheese
Question: I heard that pregnant women should not eat soft cheeses. Should I stop using cream cheese on my bagel in the morning?
Answer: No, you can still enjoy your morning bagel with cream cheese. However, because of your pregnancy, you should probably avoid some other foods in your refrigerator. Listeria is a type of bacteria found everywhere. Listeria can cause a food-borne illness called listeriosis, which is extremely dangerous for a pregnant women and her unborn baby. Listeriosis can cause premature delivery, miscarriage, and fetal death. A pregnant woman is more susceptible to Listeriosis because of the normal pregnancy changes that affect your immune system.
Listeria are unusual because they can grow at refrigeration temperatures of 40 degrees or below. Only cooking kills them. Therefore follow these food safety tips:
* Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, or deli meats unless they are reheated until steaming hot.
* Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta (goat cheese), Brie, Camembert, blue-veined cheese, Roquefort, Mexican soft cheese, queso blanco, queso fresco queso do hoja, queso de crea, and asadero. If you do use these soft cheeses they should be cooked until boiling.
* Use hard cheese, such as cheddar, Swiss, and Colby. Also, soft cheeses like mozzarella, pasteurized processed cheese slices and spread, cream cheese, and cottage cheese are safe to eat.
* Be sure to use dairy products that are pasteurized and labelled.
* Do not eat refrigerated pate, and meat spreads. Canned or shelf-stable pate and meat spreads can be eaten.
* Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood unless it is in a cooked dish, such as a casserole. Examples of refrigerated smoked seafood include salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna, and mackerel which are most often labeled as ‘nova-style’, ‘lox’, ‘kippered’, ’smoked’, or ‘jerky’. This fish is found in the refrigerated section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores.
* Canned fish and shelf-stable smoked seafood is safe to eat.
* Clean your refrigerator regularly.
* Use perishable, ready-to-eat, and precooked items as soon as possible.
* Make sure your refrigerator always stays at 40 degrees or below.
Listeriosis may cause flu-like symptoms with fever, chills, muscle aches, diarrhea, and upset stomach. It can take a few days or even weeks to appear. Consult your healthcare provider if you have these symptoms or believe you have eaten a contaminated product.”
– By Becky Hand, Licensed and Registered Dietician
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