PREGNANCY - FOOD TO AVOID (DURING PREGNANCY)

on’t Eat These Foods	Why	What to Do
Soft CHEESES made from unpasteurized milk, including Brie, feta, Camembert, Roquefort, queso blanco, and queso fresco	May contain E. coli or Listeria.	Eat hard cheeses, such as cheddar or Swiss. Or, check the label and make sure that the cheese is made from pasteurized milk.
Raw COOKIE DOUGH or CAKE BATTER	May containSalmonella.	Bake the cookies and cake. Don’t lick the spoon!
Certain kinds of FISH, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish (golden or white snapper)	Contains high levels of mercury.	Eat up to 12 ounces a week of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury, such as shrimp, salmon, pollock, and catfish.  Limit consumption of albacore tuna to 6 ounces per week.
Raw or undercooked FISH (sushi)	May contain parasites or bacteria.	Cook fish to 145° F.
Unpasteurized JUICE or cider (including fresh squeezed)	May contain E. coli.	Drink pasteurized juice. Bring unpasteurized juice or cider to a rolling boil and boil for at least 1 minute before drinking.
Unpasteurized MILK	May contain bacteria such asCampylobacter,E. coli, Listeria, or Salmonella.	Drink pasteurized milk.
SALADS made in a store, such as ham salad, chicken salad, and seafood salad.	May containListeria.	Make salads at home, following the food safety basics: clean, separate, cook, and chill.
Raw SHELLFISH, such as oysters and clams	May containVibrio bacteria.	Cook shellfish to 145° F.
Raw or undercooked SPROUTS, such as alfalfa, clover, mung bean, and radish	May contain E. coli orSalmonella.	Cook sprouts thoroughly.

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Be Careful with These Foods	Why	What to Do
Hot dogs, luncheon meats, cold cuts, fermented or dry sausage, and other deli-style meat and poultry	May containListeria.	Even if the label says that the meat is precooked, reheat these meats to steaming hot or 165° F before eating.
Eggs and pasteurized egg products	Undercooked eggs may containSalmonella.	Cook eggs until yolks are firm. Cook casseroles and other dishes containing eggs or egg products to 160° F.
Eggnog	Homemade eggnog may contain uncooked eggs, which may containSalmonella.	Make eggnog with a pasteurized egg product or buy pasteurized eggnog. When you make eggnog or other egg-fortified beverages, cook to 160°F
Fish	May contain parasites or bacteria.	Cook fish to 145° F.
Ice cream	Homemade ice cream may contain uncooked eggs, which may containSalmonella.	Make ice cream with a pasteurized egg product safer by adding the eggs to the amount of liquid called for in the recipe, then heating the mixture thoroughly..
Meat: Beef, veal, lamb, and pork (including ground meat)	Undercooked meat may contain E. coli.	Cook beef, veal, and lamb steaks and roasts to 145° F. Cook pork to 160° F. Cook all ground meats to 160° F.
Meat spread or pate	Unpasteurized refrigerated pates or meat spreads may containListeria.	Eat canned versions, which are safe.
Poultry and stuffing (including ground poultry)	Undercooked meat may contain bacteria such asCampylobacteror Salmonella.	Cook poultry to 165° F. If the poultry is stuffed, cook the stuffing to 165° F. Better yet, cook the stuffing separately.
Smoked seafood	Refrigerated versions are not safe, unless they have been cooked to 165° F.	Eat canned versions, which are safe, or cook to 165° F REFERENCE - FOOD SAFETY