Food - holiday in Greece

[surreygirl1987]

Hello everyone

I've been pretty laid back about what I've eaten so.far this pregnancy but now am.on holiday in Rhodes at 28 weeks pregnant (and then on to some other islands) and a little worried. I LOVE greek food but the NHS list doesn't recommend unpasteurized feta cheese or yoghurt (I guess can be found in tzatziki). We're eating at lots of little taverns on lots of little islands and I don't want to have to miss out on my fave foods unless I have to!! Anyone know if feta and tzatziki on the Greek islands is okay in pregnancy as a rule?

If they’re from unpasteurised sources then no they aren’t recommended. It’s up to you to decide whether you are comfortable with the risk. (On balance the risk is minimal but you need to weigh that up yourself) I think it’s likely most of it will be pasteurised though tbh.

As PP says, the NHS doesn't advise eating unpasteurised dairy products because of the risk of listeriosis. However, right now theres a listeriosis outbreak in Europe traced back to frozen sweetcorn. The last one was in cucumber if I remember correctly.

I'm having the odd Brie sandwich because I personally feel the risk is relatively low - and somewhat incorrectly focused entirely on dairy products. OP I'd be more wary of making sure your salad is washed, but otherwise enjoy your holiday!

Im in the same boat! We fly tomorrow to Corfu to go sailing. I'd decided I'll probably skip the cheese as I won't know if it's pasteurized but hadn't thought about tzatziki. I'm guessing I might get funny or confused looks if I ask so will probably play it safe...

Yeh I heard about the sweetcorn thing - yikes! Thanks for the replies.
I guess my question is, in that case, does anyone know if the cheese and tzatziki in the Greek islands is pasteurized or not, as a general rule? (Might make sense for me to post this on tripadvisor forum too now I think about it!). Thanks.

I live in Cyprus and have had 2 babies here. I ate local cheese and yoghurt through both my pregnancies without a problem and in Turkey too.

Where I am even in the restaurants everything is pasteurised. I even ate the fresh Halloumi I get from my neighbour because I know it's made at high temperatures.

Most commercial yogurt is pasteurised, even abroad! Feta is absolutely fine to eat, it’s mould-ripened cheeses that are the main worry, so Brie, Camembert etc. I mean, avoid if you’re really worried, but you don’t have to.

I went to kefalonia at 29 weeks and ate tzaziki and feta to my hearts content and still do at home (my partner is greek). It hasn't done me any harm. I'd say enjoy

It would be interesting to see what Greek doctors recommend to pregnant women as they are things they eat daily!

My friend is married too a Frenchman lives in France and ate camenbert and other cheeses and didn't come to any harm.

Advice changes all the time too - when my mum was pregnant me with it was "eat 2 portions of liver a week, its full if iron" no it's a no-no but people genetically haven't changed!

Hard to know what to do but I'd say a reasonable amount won't do you much harm x

I was told to eat mainly vegetables and a small amount of meat and fruit for a treat!

I was also told to drink more coffee as I was looking tired!

So my Greek doctors didn't mention dairy.

I had an alcohol aversion, don't eat blue cheese or offal anyway so the only pregnancy dietary rules I was strict about was those to do with fish and seafood.