Would you eat a McFlurry whilst pregnant?

[BumgrapesofWrath]

I know I am supposed to avoid whippy ice-cream because of the risk of Listeria. However, I'm thinking it's more of a risk from an ice-cream man who doesn't clean his equipment thoroughly. Surely McDonald's is very concerned with health and hygiene so their McFlurrys should be ok to eat in pregnancy surely? What do you all think?

I have eaten several and a Mr.whippy or two, although the midwife at my booking in did say no soft icecream. It must have slipped my mind.

I don't believe everything midwives tell me thanks, I was just saying that she specifically mentioned it and that was her reason. I didn't ask any further because it really didn't matter to me as I have no desire to eat them and the smell of macdonald's makes me feel sick at the best of times!

I've had a look on their website and it says they used skimmed milk in all their mcflurrys, soft ice cream and sundaes. So clearly the mw was wrong in her reasons for avoiding it.

I've also found some other info saying that it's to do with the machines not being cleaned and the possible presence of listeria, but that as they're in constant use in big places like macdonald's it's probably fine. I don't know how true that is, and it's making me wonder how often they do actually clean them.

McFlurrys are ok to eat as they use pasturised milk

[http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/whatmakesmcdonalds/questions/food/special-diets/which-of-your-products-are-safe-to-eat-during-pregnancy.html here]

Damn!

again

Also, I used to work for them and the cleanliness standards in there are extremely high

If I remember correctly, the shake/ice cream machine was stripped down and cleaned every night.

Hated that job!

Yes, but I much prefer apple pies!

The machines in McDs are cleaned every night.

I've tested thousands of products over the years for Listeria and studied Listeria in food factories for a fair few years too.

The worst products for Listeria were prewashed salads and fruit bowls like melon etc

Cheese made from unpasteurised milk was very safe probably as the risks are well known and there are such strict hygiene measures in place.

Personally I ate everything I wanted in pregnancy I don't eat meat though so pate was already off.

Whoooops, I had a mcflurry a while back because I was craving it. I just assumed it it's pasteurised then it's safe, and surely they must use pasteurised?!

I did but its up to you really. tho I had bad hg and Ice cream and choc were one of the few things that I could keep down.

Of course McFlurries are pasteurised. In fact mist mayonnaise is and most cheese including feta and goats cheese. There's actually very few cheeses made with unpasteurised milk that are potentially dangerous camemberts, Bries, some French goats cheeses. Parmesan and Cheddars are ok too.

This thread is making me hungry now.

I thought all milk used at mcdonalds was pasturised!!!? I can't see them using unpasturied- surely that's actually harder to get hold of and more difficult to store / keep fresh? ...

On another note.... Mmmmmmmmmm apple pie :) want one soooo bad now!!!

Oops!!! I ate a mcflurry and had a strawberry milkshake today!! I wasn't aware you couldn't !!

I avoided Mr Whippy through both pgs (so dating back 10 years now) because of the listeria risk and it was bloody torture (both summer babies back in the days when we had real summers, with sunshine, and warmth ). I was forced to manufacture DCs out of Magnums instead.

But if it had occurred to me I'd have followed the OP's reasoning and been happy with McFlurries, because the hygiene should be trustworthy at McDs.

Well if they're cleaned every night and you can see from their website they use skimmed milk, then it must be no more dangerous than anything else so go for it!

Skimmed milk?? That's terrible. I want full fat milk in my mcflurry and milkshakes

Why full fat? Just for extra yumminess?

I ate one just the other day, I didn't know we weren't supposed to? NHS direct/midwife never mentioned it?!

Yeah and it doesn't seem as much as a naughty treat if it's skimmed milk.

ALL ice cream in this country is pasteurised as part of the production process, even if it's made with pasteurised milk. It's the law.

For something to be legally called ice cream it must contain at least 5% fat so if skimmed milk is used then cream will be added to get to the required fat content.

As per website 1st ingredient is skimmed milk, 2nd is cream, then sugar, whey powder, glucose syrup then miscellaneous bits and pieces.

Yes...but then I ate Sushi and peanut butter too. No allergies here.

My midwife told me to avoid all takeaways because of the risk of listeria and other food poisoning. I have taken to washing pre-washed salads though sweetkitty but it would be pretty hard to avoid all possible sources of listeria etc wouldn't it? Esp with eating out?

I work for mcds and the cleaning standards for the ice cream/shake machine is very, very high and it is done frequently! Its is not unpasturised but if the machine is not cleaned correctly then the bacteria build up could be unsafe for pregnant women, thats why you are told to avoid it when expecting!