Listeria Reassurance

[Lou0712]

Hello

I am around 6 weeks pregnant and as soon as I found out I have tried to be super careful with what I eat re unpasteurised cheese, under cooked meat etc. I thought I had it all down but I just ate a sandwich from Gail's Bakery and suddenly thought hmm it has been sat there all morning not in a fridge, is that ok?
Dr Google has now totally panicked me and made me think this is so much worse than eating all the "banned" foods!

Anyone else made a mistake like this? I know there is no point worrying now but still feel really annoyed with myself. Why did common sense kick in AFTER I had eaten it???

Are you sure it wasn't in a refrigerated glass display cabinet? I'm sure it wasn't just sitting out at room temp otherwise they would get in trouble with Food Safety

I'm 6w too and last week I accidentally ate a chocolate mousse at a chain restaurant! I was half way through when I asked if it was made with raw egg white. Apparently the packet just said pasturised milk but I felt so annoyed with myself for not thinking! It's hard getting used to these banned foods when you're out, isn't it?

You'll be fine

Nope definitely not refrigerated :-(
They just have them all out in the window on stands, no cabinet.
So easy to make mistakes isn’t it!! Hopefully both of us will be fine!!

@CatSmize raw egg is fine and has been for some time. Check the NHS website.

You'll be fine. Those places usually have stock rotation so the sandwiches are only out for a set period of time. Legally they can be unrefrigerated for up to four hours.

I ate some off sausages when I was pregnant and I was totally fine! You will be fine with your sandwich!

What’s wrong with chocolate mousse? I wouldn’t think twice about that.

I ate some banned cheese at the weekend and beat myself up about it, but the chance is slim and if I do get fever like symptoms (unlikely) I will go to the doctors and antibiotics are pretty effective against listeriosis I think.

@cookit and @QuilliamCakespeare

The main ingredient in chocolate mousse is raw egg white. The NHS say that only Lion Code eggs are ok to eat raw but I live abroad so we don't have that code. At a chain restaurant where the mousse is pre-mixed I have no idea what standard of eggs they are using

I know I'm not going to drop down dead, I was just annoyed with myself for tucking in without giving it a second thought!

Try not to worry about the sandwich OP. The risk is so incredibly low...there have been very few listeria cases in the UK....I drove myself INSANE throughout my whole pregnancy...I constantly thought I would catch it to the point where I was almost scared to eat anything. Now that I have had my baby I really regret spending so much of my pregnancy worrying about something that I really didn't need to.

I know that won't help but seriously....you have nothing to worry about with that sandwhich. In fact...as I said..I worried about everything but I wouldn't have batted an eyelid about eating that sandwhich.

Oh goodness. Don't worry about the sandwich. It'll be fine. I live in a country where if I followed all the NHS etc advice I would probably starve. All we can do is try our best.

With premixed mousse are we talking about a powder base? If so then that's fine as it's dried egg white.

Thanks ladies, you have definitely helped to put my mind at rest.
It is so easy to drive yourself mad with all the info! Tried for so long then finally get that BFP and just so desperately want to ensure I am doing everything in my power to give the little one the best chance!
I know stress doesn't help though so going to just try to relax a bit and do my best as you all have said!