Pasteurised Camembert OK to eat?

[Badgerwife]

I posted my 12 week scan on Facebook yesterday to bask in the attention let everyone know I'm preggers, and was telling someone how I have obviously given up soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert and how much hard work it is as it's the one thing I'm consistently craving. I've even asked DH to bring a sandwich with camembert and saussisson (dry sausage) to the hospital when I'm in labour so I can have it afterwards (I blame my French upbringing)

One of my friends who is a midwife has commented that if it's pasteurised, I can eat it regardless of the type of cheese it is. She's been telling lots of women this and no one suffered as a result.

I don't want to rejoice too soon but what do you reckon? Have you heard this before?

[MakemineaGandT]

strictly speaking, no you shouldn't. But I do...the cheese issue is listeria - but apparently there hasn't been a single case of listeria poisoning from cheese in this country for over 20 years (see Zoe Williams Guardian article on it......google it....)

[MakemineaGandT]

here you go OP:

[http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/may/29/health.medicineandhealth have a look at this article]

[MakemineaGandT]

oh arse. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/may/29/health.medicineandhealth try again]

[MakemineaGandT]

[http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/may/29/health.medicineandhealth and again]

[FeralGirlCambs]

I know a very eminent neo-natologist (so not exactly dealing with pregnant women but knows a heck of a lot about babies, particularly very premature ones where something might arguably have 'gone wrong' during pregnancy) and she told me pasteurised was absolutely fine. Likewise charcuterie (though technically raw meat the salt cure would kill toxoplasmosis in her opinion). Not saying she knows all, but I'm happy to go with her thoughts, esp as she was very adamant about not drinking more than a glass or so and not eating non-pasteurised soft cheese, so is obviously not a complete risk poohpooher

[Sparklies]

I have to confess to having been at the parma ham this time out (third pregnancy!) I figure the amount I consume when not pregnant, if I was going to get toxoplasmosis from it, I would have by now. Smoked salmon is fine too, contrary to popular belief.

Baked camembert is gorgeous. Yum!

It's quite possible that I might have partaken of some unbaked but pasteurised soft cheeses over Christmas too There's so much conflicting information - some midwives say it is fine, others don't. Official government advice on the Eatwell website is don't, for what it's worth.

The odds are minute regardless. Yes, I could probably live without cheese, but.. oh well!

[NancyDrewHasaClue]

There is someone on these threads who seemingly knows what they are talking about and has said pasturisation does not remove the risk with cheese and listeria. If you want to avoid the risk then you must avoid pasturised cheese.

It is obviously a very personal decision but I do know someone who lost a baby due to listeria, although I am unaware of what the cause of the listeria was.

The problem with listeria is that it is not accumulative (unlike the risks of smoking and drinking for example)

[laurieleigh]

ooohhh..... are we really allowed baked camembert??

i guess as it's cooked through it should be fine... just about to pack hubby off to Tesco's for one, and a nice french stick...

[LoopyLoopsIsNoLongerFestive]

(MakeMine you need two lots of brackets )

[winnybella]

Wasn't there a huge oubreak not long ago in the States and it was something like tomatoes or frozen broccoli...

Seriously, if you get a good quality cheese, pasteurzed or not, your chances of catching listeria are very small. A lot of things may be already cooked (ham etc) but may get contaminated with listeria afterwards, during packaging.

I live in France and have eaten Roquefort and homemade fois gras, though, so perhaps not the best person to give advice.

[coraltoes]

The "rule" is yes pasteurised cheese is fine as long as it is not mould ripened...this means blue cheese is a no no and so is camembert and brie etc - has a mould white rind. Naturally the risks are small, and totally up to you if it is a risk you are comfortable with...i just thought i'd share the guidelines properly.

Interestingly the most common source of listeria in the UK is pre-packed salad.

as for home made foie gras i assume you mean pate? rather than the actual liver? I think the issue there is not just that you're eating pate- which is a listeria risk because of the way it is often stored rather than how it is made (how i miss pate!) but also liver, which is not recommended because it contains too much Vit A (is it vit a? i forget) . But still bloody delicious. Have a bit for me winnybella !!

[winnybella]

No, no, I mean fois gras- that is liver, obv. Yes, too much vitamin A is not good, but you would have to eat a good slice of liver every day to harm the foetus. I'm sure few times throughout the pg is fine.

I'm not pg at the mo, ds is 8 and dd almost 2.

[midori1999]

You are supposed to avoid mould ripened cheeses whether made from pasturised or unpasturised milk, as there is still a risk of listeria. It's a small risk anyway, but even so, the consequence if you get listeria can be very severe.

www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/nutrition/foodsafety/cheeseexpert/

[Badgerwife]

Well, thank you all, it does confirm my general impression that the advice was to avoid soft cheeses regardless of pasteurisation, ah well, I am sure I can live without it.