Unpasteurised milk- worried sick

[sunflower1993]

Hi all,

I'm currently 9 + 1 weeks pregnant. I've been eating fairly well and have been checking packets religiously to reduce my risk of any food poisoning.

However, I went to prepare my tea (using a pre-packaged Caesar salad kit from Sainsbury's) and checked the ingredients and it was full of unpasteurised milk in both the cheese and dressing.

I am pretty sure I've eaten the same salad and some point during my early pregnancy and I'm now panicking something rotten that I've contracted listeria.

My anxiety hasn't been the best this pregnancy and I am seeking support for this.

Will I be okay? Has anyone else experienced this? Feel like I'm going absolutely mad!

I think it will be fine OP, you'd be very unlucky to pick up anything from packaged food like that.

I know it's worrying as I am pregnant too, but I tend to think with stuff like this....how likely would I be to get ill from this normally? Like surely the chances are so low that a pre-packaged salad would give you food poisoning?

I honestly wouldn't worry too much.

You’re worried you’ve contracted listeria on a previous time you’ve eaten this salad (you didn’t eat it today)? Have you had aches, chills, a high fever, sickness and diarrhoea?

If its parmesan cheese that's the unpasteurised cheese then that's ok to eat as its a hard cheese

You will almost certainly be fine OP. You aren't more likely to get listeria while pregnant, just it's more serious of you do, so if you regularly eat that sort of food then think back on how many times you've eaten it and not gotten sick and you'll appreciate how tiny the risk is xx

Just googled and it is the parmesan cheese that's unpasteurised so you'll be fine

It even says it after the Parmesan. You'll be fine. You'd know if you had listeria. Maybe lay off the labels, it's a salad ffs you're going to have a bloody long pregnancy if you religiously check the label for hidden unpasteurised cheese. Get a grip

@BookGinnyisbetter

It even says it after the Parmesan. You'll be fine. You'd know if you had listeria. Maybe lay off the labels, it's a salad ffs you're going to have a bloody long pregnancy if you religiously check the label for hidden unpasteurised cheese. Get a grip

Telling a vulnerable, and clearly anxious, pregnant woman to 'get a grip' makes me feel that I'm not the one who needs to get a grip...

Made in the UK I would guess unpasteurised milk comes from a brucellosis accredited herd.
Although I do believe advice for pregnant ladies is to avoid soft cheeses etc. Sure you will be fine bur if your still anxious talk to your GP xxx

Parmesan is a hard cheese so doesn't need to be avoided even if unpasteurised

You will be ok OP I think it's very unlikely that you would have picked up anything without symptoms. Most food, as others have said are screened in different ways so although unpasteurised it's unlikely to cause harm. It's an innocent mistake so just try and draw a line under it and focus on tomorrow and beyond. And ignore the shitty comments. I googled every god damn thing a million times myself, you care because you're trying to be a good mum already, if others can't understand that then sod them.

@BookGinnyisbetter

It even says it after the Parmesan. You'll be fine. You'd know if you had listeria. Maybe lay off the labels, it's a salad ffs you're going to have a bloody long pregnancy if you religiously check the label for hidden unpasteurised cheese. Get a grip

Telling the OP to get a grip is a harsh comment when she is clearly feeling very anxious, completely unnecessary.

OP - the chances are very low so try not to panic. Like others have posted, what's the likelihood of getting ill from this if not pregnant. Don't worry :)

You know In France they are not advised to stop eating soft cheeses. Chance of anything happening from a soft cheese is so low its the least of a pregnant person's concern. I'd be more worried about your vagina

@EverydayIsPJday

You will be ok OP I think it's very unlikely that you would have picked up anything without symptoms. Most food, as others have said are screened in different ways so although unpasteurised it's unlikely to cause harm. It's an innocent mistake so just try and draw a line under it and focus on tomorrow and beyond. And ignore the shitty comments. I googled every god damn thing a million times myself, you care because you're trying to be a good mum already, if others can't understand that then sod them.

Thank you for this. The loveliest comment ever. First trimester has been a rollercoaster involving finding out I was pregnant whilst my partner had COVID, my mum and vulnerable family members also contracting it, suspected miscarriage followed by a suspected ectopic pregnancy, and to top it off this week the death of my dog of 13 years on Wednesday.

Yes as others have said I think Parmesan is fine , I also loved Sainsbury's Caesar salad kits when I was pregnant with my last 2 babies (3 and 5 months) definitely a craving of mine both times! had a lot of them x

I think the risk with these things is food poising. It’s an extremely low risk and if you haven’t had any symptoms of food poisoning I think you’ll be fine. As for Parmesan - I’m half Italian so I eat it almost every day and I’m pretty sure it’s fine!

@Morechocmorechoc
Nope. In France women definitely are advised to stop eating soft cheeses, especially unpasteurized soft cheeses. But parmesan would be considered fine because it’s a hard cheese and there’s not enough moisture in there for the listeria bacteria to grow.
OP all the recommendations are made to reduce the incidence of these things on a population level. If you accidentally eat something that’s not recommended, the risk of actually getting listeria is tiny. It’s just that if all pregnant women continued eating all the risky foods all the time, there would be a small number of cases where women would get listeria and some babies would be hurt.
Basically try to follow the guidelines, but if you mess up but don’t have any food poisoning type symptoms, you’re fine and you can stop thinking about it.

@BookGinnyisbetter

It even says it after the Parmesan. You'll be fine. You'd know if you had listeria. Maybe lay off the labels, it's a salad ffs you're going to have a bloody long pregnancy if you religiously check the label for hidden unpasteurised cheese. Get a grip

This.

Put it this im this way op I'd rather be anxious and aware and safe then that nasty advice you were given to get a grip - how unnecessary and unpleasant of them. This is what this forum is for ! I read too labels too and yes I'm anxious too but I don't need to get a grip 🙄

@sunflower1993 sorry but I stand by my comment. Drip feeding stuff about how stressed you are isn't particularly relevant anyway. You're pregnant not vulnerable or sick. Sorry you had previous losses and your dog died but you're not going to make yourself feel any better by checking labels constantly

Of course you will be well, they will not sell it otherwise xx dont worry, eat whatevers tasty x

[quote BookGinnyisbetter]@sunflower1993 sorry but I stand by my comment. Drip feeding stuff about how stressed you are isn't particularly relevant anyway. You're pregnant not vulnerable or sick. Sorry you had previous losses and your dog died but you're not going to make yourself feel any better by checking labels constantly [/quote]
Wow, what a truly awful person. 'Drip feeding' traumatic events isn't 'helpful'? I'm sorry I could have been more help to you. I'm looking for friendly advice, for advice from women in similar situations who have experienced similar. I'm not looking for the opinions of bitter women who find it necessary to berate others for their worry and concern during pregnancy.