Can I eat Parma ham and salami?

[Kayzr]

The nhs website says it is ok but on another website it says not to eat it. I feel so bloody confused at the minute.

DP bought a load of salami etc to make antipasti and I am not sure if it's ok or not.

Thanks

Go with the NHS advice. There is a lot of bollocks out there on the internet about what you can't eat. Some sites will tell you that a ham sandwich is not ok if you look for them.

I know you can't eat parma ham. But salami is fine I eat it all time and have done in other pregnancys .. Midwife said it was ok. I'm not sure why but always been told to keep away from Parma ham

I eat Parma ham on a daily regular basis, it's been a major craving.

I figure if it's pre-packaged and from a supermarket, it will have been pretty extensively tested. Wouldn't buy deli counter stuff though or salad bar stuff.

The risk with cold meats (like parma ham, salami too I am afraid, as anything that has not been cooked but just cured, as only the cooking kills the bacteria.) is that you can contract toxoplasmosis (some info here: www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1107.aspx?CategoryID=54&SubCategoryID=137), although very rare, it can be very dangerous if contracted during pregnancy (especially first few months I think).

In Italy you are routinely tested for it (cold meats being a lot more common), as once you have had it you develop immunity and you do not need to worry about it anymore. If you are not, you are told not to eat this food.

You can also get it from cat's pooh.

One way to get around it is to cook it first, so I often have parma ham or pepperoni on pizza to satisfy my craving!

As with so many other things it is a question of choice and cost/benefit.

ciao

I cook it first, but Im not keen on cold meats.