I shouldn't have eaten that...

[Squiff70]

I'm 6 weeks pregnant and I had a home-made chicke casear salad for dinner tonight. As I took my last mouthful I realised I'd used a caesar dressing. I just checked the ingredients and it contains "cheese paste". Pretty sure I shouldn't have eaten that! I didn't have a lot - just a light drizzle as I'm on a healthy eating regime. I just hope I haven't done any damage!

www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/300577329

INGREDIENTS: Water, Hard Italian Style Cheese Paste (11%) [Cheese Powder (Milk), Glucose Syrup, Water, Yeast Extract, Salt, Flavouring, Sunflower Oil], Spirit Vinegar, Lemon Juice from Concentrate (6%), Sugar, Reconstituted Pasteurised Dried Egg, Garlic Purée (1%), Citric Acid, Thickener (Xanthan Gum), Worcester Sauce [Water, Sugar, Spirit Vinegar, Molasses, Onion Purée, Salt, Tamarind Paste, Clove, Ginger Purée, Garlic Purée], Mustard Seed, Colour (Titanium Dioxide), Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Parsley, Black Pepper, Salt.

I really don't think there's anything in that long list of ingredients that will do you or your baby any harm whatsoever.

It must have taken you ages to type all that out

What on earth is it you think you've eaten?

You'll be fine, don't worry.

Yeah, you'll be fine.

I’m not sure what in that list you shouldn’t have eaten.

Why do you think you can’t eat hard cheese?

Thank you. I copied and pasted the list of ingredients from the link!

I read on another forum that caesar dressing contains anchovies and often, uncooked egg. I can't see either from the list of ingredients and I think the "hard cheese paste" is okay. Thanks everyone!

Unless the dressing is manufactured in someone's personal kitchen with the cows being milked for the cheese in the corner by the fridge, I'm sure you'll be fine op.

Oh fgs it will all have been pasteurised to death and is perfectly safe to eat

Anchovies are fine to eat. Also, most things that you hear have 'uncooked egg' are normally only a risk if they are produced in home settings. For example, homemade mayo is a no-no because of raw egg. However, Hellman's is fine because of whatever pasteurizing wizardry they do to the eggs during manufacture.

Thanks for the kick up the proverbial @dementedpixie but I lost twins at 19 weeks in January and am obviously being paranoid overly cautious.

While you’re in the UK just stick to the NHS guidance. Don’t google anything else. Lion stamped raw egg and fish is safe to eat in the UK because eggs are salmonella free here and fish is frozen to kill off parasites. Obviously if you’re abroad (even in the US or parts of Europe) you need to be far more careful, which is why you should avoid US aimed advice. Listeria from hard cheese is more common there because the cheeses aren’t often made to the same standards as UK / Europe.

Sorry for your loss op Totally understandable that you are anxious.

I always think of it in terms of 'how many times have I eaten this before and NOT gotten ill from it?' If the answer is zero, then I go ahead.

Also if you were told infection was the cause of your miscarriage I’d suggest asking for / paying for a cervical length scan. A lot of NHS consultants don’t test for a short cervix even when you’ve had 1 late miscarriage previously.

Just read the NHS guidance please

Thank you very much for the advice @Teddybear45 - I am in the UK and will bear in mind what you said. I lost the babies due to placental abruption but I'm seeing the RMC and midwife next week and I'll ask them both about a cervical length scan and whether or not they think it's necessary.

Thank you @FairyJuice and @DamnShesaSexyChick. I've read the NHS guidance and wil refer to it in future if I'm unsure.

You are all good, there’s nothing on that list you couldn’t have x

@Squiff70 it's understandable you're overly paranoid. Like others have said, the NHS site is good guidance ut people shouldn't make you feel bad for asking for reassurance

Hey yeah its totally fine what u ate,dont worry.
Im the same as u worry about everything i eat & over think it.i lost a baby at 20wks & had 2 prem babies so i know how hard it is not to worry.x

Hi Squiff I was like this with my first pregnancy. I’d eat something then worry and google it. I agree with PP who said just go by nhs guidance. Let’s see if I can stick to my own advice though?! Last night I had a mouthful of tonic water then googled it and read some suggestions it should be avoided during pregnancy 🤷🏻‍♀️🤔😬🙄

I’ve had chicken Cesar salad a few times and I’m only just over a week until due date.

So I really wouldn’t worry