Is blue cheese really that risky?

[sureitsgrand]

Hi, 28 weeks pregnant with number 2. Had a party last night and no one touched the cheeseboard. So I have a pack of pasteurized brie, a camembert and a danish blue sat unopened in my fridge.

They are all I can think about.

I can bake the cambert. Brie is ok pasteurized. But the one I'm craving is the danish blue.

Would you risk it?? Please don't flame, I'm not in the best frame of mind today I'm just genuinely questioning. I usually stick to all guidelines.

Can anyone explain why it isn't ok if pasturised please?

There's a risk of listeriosis with all unpasteurised and soft cheeses. When you are pregnant there are more severe consequences of listeriosis than if you were to get it when not pregnant.

Brie is ok pasteurized.

No.

The advice is not to eat any mould-ripened cheese, regardless of whether it is made with pasteurised or unpasteurised milk. The risk is the in moist rind, which is the perfect environment for harmful bacteria. Danish blue and gorgonzola are also soft enough to present a risk.

Pretty much all hard cheese is fine, however, even if made with unpasteurised milk (source). I'd therefore satisfy your blue cheese craving with some nice Stilton.

Cut mushrooms up into quarters and gently fry with lots of butter and garlic. Add lots of lumps of the blue cheese and keep heating until you’ve got mushrooms in a gooey liquid cheesey puddle. Eat on toast.

ITs absolutely fine, however you would like it.

BusterTheBulldog It's not though!

Here is the NHS advice www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2683.aspx?CategoryID=54

So it would be ok cold if hard blue cheese, but should be cooked thoroughly if soft blue cheese

I ate it when I was pregnant op but I would get the mini portions of cheese from M&S so I knew it was fresh and hadn't been lying around.

My concern with the cheese mentioned in your post is that it will likely have been sitting around in a warm room at the party for a few hours so may be less safe.

Anyone know what the deal is with manchego (hard cheese). DH bought me some yesterday and after eating a slice I noticed that it was made with raw milk.

Feathered all hard cheese is fine, regardless of pasteurisation.

Definitely cook it and eat it.

The risk is that if you get sick your body will prioritise keeping you alive and, in a worst case scenario, miscarry.
I was in the camp of 'eat anything you like, you have no more risk than a non- pregnant person' and I on occasion I'd eat things that were not allowed. Then I went on holiday and had (perfectly allowed) clams and monkfish at 27 weeks.
I got the worst food poisoning of my life (i kid you not, vomiting blood, the lot) and I have never felt fear like it- i spent the next 4 days in constant fear of whether the baby was moving normally.
That was admittedly from eating something I couldn't have predicted but it made me rethink whether it was worth the risk to just wait a few months.
Sorry that's so pious and holier- than-thou but really that moment in that holiday apartment was one I'll never forget!