Something that many pregnant women think they have to give up while expecting a baby is various kinds of cheese. This is due to the listeria bacterium which can be found in certain cheeses. But even if some cheeses should be avoided, there are a plethora of different cheeses that are perfectly fine to eat!

It is very rare for pregnant people to contract listeria, but since listeria can be found in various unpasteurised cheeses, these should be avoided during pregnancy. This is because any infection can be harmful to your child. However, you don’t have to avoid all cheese, there is still a wide selection of good cheeses that you can eat as much as you want!

What is listeria?
Listeria is a bacterium that can cause illness in people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women. The bacterium is found in nature and thus also on some raw foods, and can get onto food manufacturing equipment. Therefore, it can be difficult to get rid of – especially since listeria can grow in the cold and without any oxygen.

Here is the list of cheeses that you can eat during pregnancy:

– All kinds of sliceable hard cheese in pieces or slices, such as Gouda and similar
– Parmesan
– Processed cheese or soft cheese such as prawn cream cheese, ham cream cheese and blue cheese in tubes or in boxes
– Fresh cheese such as cream cheese, marscarpone, ricotta and other spreadable, packaged cream cheeses
– Mozzarella
– Halloumi
– Feta
– Dessert cheeses such as Gruyère, Comté and Manchego

All cheese that is prepared and heated up to 70 degrees is also safe to eat, regardless of the variety, and this is because listeria dies when heated to 70 degrees.

If the packaging does not say that the cheese is made from untreated/unpasteurised milk, you can assume that the milk has been pasteurised and is therefore safe to eat. However, there are a couple of cheeses that you should avoid even if they are made from pasteurised milk. These are moldy and washed-rind cheeses such as Brie, Gorgonzola, Chèvre, Vacherol and Taleggio.