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Some foods have a higher likelihood of causing food poisoning. For pregnant women, whose immune systems are lower due to hormonal changes in the body, the risks can be more serious.
The below guide may help you decide what to eat by highlighting foods not recommended during pregnancy.
Our main advice is to consume freshly prepared foods where possible and avoid refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods that may have been stored for long periods.
This is because Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause serious illnesses to pregnant women and their babies, can grow under refrigeration. Focusing on freshly prepared food, which has not been stored for a long time in the fridge, reduces the risk.
There are other microorganisms to be aware of too, highlighted below.
For more dietary advice, including the types and amounts of foods recommended for optimal health during pregnancy see:Pregnancy and food safety.
Table colour code
Red = Don't eat
Yellow = Eat with caution
Green = Okay to eat
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scroll/swipe sideways if not all columns are displayed)
| Food | Form | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meat, poultry & seafood | |||
| Processed meats | Ham, salami, luncheon, chicken meat, etc. | Do not eat (high risk) unless thoroughly cooked to at least 75°C and eaten soon afterwards. | Processed meats have an increased likelihood of Listeria contamination; long shelf life increases risk as Listeria can grow under refrigeration. |
| Raw meat | Any raw meat, raw chicken or other poultry, beef, pork, etc. | Do not eat (high risk). | Raw meat may contain harmful bacteria including Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, and E. coli. Proper cooking destroys these. |
| Poultry | Cold chicken or turkey (e.g. from sandwich bars) | Do not eat (high risk). | Processed poultry products have an increased likelihood of Listeria contamination; long shelf life increases risk. |
| Hot take-away chicken | Eat with caution: purchase freshly cooked and eat while hot. Store leftovers in the fridge; reheat to at least 60°C and use within a day of cooking. | Store-bought time/temperature is often unknown and handling can introduce contamination; limiting storage time reduces pathogen growth risk. | |
| Home cooked | Okay to eat: thoroughly cook to at least 74°C and eat hot. Store leftovers in the fridge; reheat to at least 60°C and use within a day. | ||
| Paté | Refrigerated paté or meat spreads | Do not eat (high risk). | Paté and meat spreads have an increased likelihood of Listeria contamination; long shelf life increases risk. |
| Seafood | Raw seafood | Do not eat (high risk). | Raw or undercooked seafood can contain harmful viruses and bacteria (e.g., Vibrio). |
| Ready-to-eat chilled peeled prawns | Do not eat (high risk). | Multiple processing stages increase risk of bacterial contamination. | |
| Cooked fish and seafood | Okay to eat: cook thoroughly to at least 63°C and eat hot. Store leftovers in the fridge; reheat to at least 60°C and use within a day. | ||
| Sushi | Store-bought | Do not eat (high risk). | Sushi production increases Listeria risk; raw/undercooked fish raises risk further. |
| Home-made | Okay to eat: do not use raw meat or seafood; eat immediately. | ||
| Cooked meats | Beef, pork, chicken, mince | Okay to eat: cook thoroughly to at least 71°C (medium); eat while hot. | |
| Dairy & eggs | |||
| Cheese | Soft and semi-soft cheeses (e.g. brie, camembert, ricotta, fetta, blue) | Do not eat (high risk) unless thoroughly cooked to at least 75°C and eaten soon afterwards. | Soft cheeses have increased Listeria risk; long shelf life allows growth under refrigeration. |
| Processed cheese, cheese spreads, cottage cheese, cream cheese, etc. | Eat with caution: store in the fridge; eat within two days of opening. | ||
| Hard cheeses (e.g., cheddar, tasty) | Okay to eat: store in the fridge. | ||
| Ice-cream | Soft serve | Do not eat (high risk). | Higher contamination risk; machines may be inadequately cleaned/sanitised. |
| Fried ice-cream | Do not eat (high risk). | May contain Salmonella from batter with eggs; frying may not reach adequate internal temperatures. | |
| Packaged frozen ice-cream | Okay to eat: keep and eat frozen. | ||
| Dairy | Unpasteurised (raw) | Do not drink or use (high risk). | Raw milk can carry multiple pathogens and cause severe illness. |
| Pasteurised (e.g. milk, cream, yoghurt) | Okay to eat: check best-before or use-by date; follow storage instructions. | ||
| Custard | Store-bought | Eat with caution: can be eaten cold if freshly opened. Store in fridge; reheat to at least 60°C and use within a day of opening. Check best-before or use-by date. | Custard can contain Salmonella (egg-based products). |
| Home-made | Eat with caution: cook thoroughly to at least 71°C and eat hot. Store in fridge; always reheat to at least 60°C and use within a day. | Home preparation may not reach safe temperatures; egg content raises Salmonella risk. | |
| Eggs | Cooked egg dishes (e.g., fried eggs, scrambled eggs, quiche) | Eat with caution: cook thoroughly to at least 71°C. Do not use cracked or dirty eggs. | Low-temperature dishes (e.g., soft scrambled) have higher Salmonella risk. |
| Raw in food (e.g., home-made mayonnaise/aioli, chocolate mousse, cake or pancake batter) | Do not eat (high risk). | Raw eggs may contain Salmonella. | |
| In non-refrigerated commercial products (e.g. mayonnaise, aioli) | Okay to eat: check best-before or use-by date; follow storage instructions. | ||
| Vegetables & fruit | |||
| Salads | Pre-prepared or pre-packaged salads (including fruit salad; e.g. salad bars, smorgasbords) | Do not eat (high risk). | Pre-packaged salads have increased Listeria risk. |
| Home-made | Okay to eat: wash ingredients well just before making and eating; store leftovers in the fridge and use within a day. | ||
| Fruit | Rockmelon | Do not eat (high risk). | Rough rind can trap bacteria; cutting can transfer bacteria to the flesh. |
| Whole fresh fruits | Okay to eat: wash well before eating. | ||
| Vegetables and herbs | Fresh vegetables and herbs | Okay to eat: wash well just before eating raw, or wash before cooking. | |
| Frozen vegetables | Okay to eat: cook before eating; do not eat uncooked. | Blanched frozen veg may still carry organisms from processing environments; most packages advise cooking before consumption. | |
| Enoki mushrooms | Do not eat raw or lightly cooked (high risk). | Fresh enoki mushrooms can contain Listeria. | |
| Bean sprouts | Alfalfa, broccoli, onion, sunflower, clover, radish, snow pea, mung bean, and soybean sprouts | Do not eat raw or lightly cooked (high risk). | Sprouts can be contaminated with E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella due to growing conditions. |
| Other foods | |||
| Leftovers | Cooked foods | Eat with caution: store covered in the fridge; eat within a day and always reheat to at least 60°C. | Some bacteria produce heat-stable toxins if food is left too long at room temperature or reheated multiple times. |
| Rice and pasta | Eat with caution: store covered in the fridge; eat within a day; always reheat to at least 60°C and only reheat once. | Can contain bacteria that form toxins surviving cooking if left at room temperature too long or reheated repeatedly. | |
| Canned foods | Tinned fruit, vegetables, fish, etc. | Okay to eat: shelf-stable and safe to eat; best consumed immediately after opening. | Heat processing kills harmful organisms in canned foods. |
| Canned foods, opened | Non-acidic canned foods (fish, meat, some fruits and vegetables) are potentially hazardous once opened | Eat with caution: store unused portions in the fridge in clean, sealed containers; use within a day. | Non-acidic foods can permit growth of Listeria if contaminated after opening. |
| Fermented drinks | Kombucha, kvass, kefir, ginger beer | Do not drink (high risk). | Increased contamination risk; may contain residual alcohol from fermentation. |
| Stuffing | Stuffing from chicken or poultry | Do not eat (high risk) unless cooked separately and eaten hot. | Undercooked poultry stuffing can contain Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, and Listeria. |
| Hummus, tahini, other sesame pastes | Store-bought or home-made | Do not eat (high risk). | Increased risk of Listeria and Salmonella contamination due to processing. |
| Soy | All soy products (e.g. tofu, soy milk, soy yoghurt) | Okay to eat: check best-before or use-by date; follow storage instructions. | |
| Sandwiches | Pre-prepared or pre-packaged sandwiches and wraps | Do not eat (high risk). | Increased risk of Listeria contamination from processing and storage. |