Pregnancy and Food Safety
DOWNLOADAugust 5, 2025 - Ghaida Batarseh Havern
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Pregnant women are at high-risk for foodborne illnesses due to changes to the mother's body. To prevent a foodborne illness during pregnancy, avoid foods such as:
- Soft cheeses
- Unpasteurized (raw) milk
- Deli and lunch meats
- Hot dogs
- Raw or undercooked eggs, meat, poultry, or fish
- Raw or undercooked sprouts
Additional tips to prevent food borne illness during pregnancy:
- Before handling food, wash your hands using warm running water, scrub with soap for at least 15 seconds and then rinse with water.
- If eaten, cook hot dogs and deli meats to 165 °For 073.9 C.
- Avoid cross-contamination by keeping ready-to-eat foods separate from raw meat and fish.
- Store all perishable foods at 40 °F or 4 °C or below within 2 hours.
