Can you eat kippers while pregnant?
Check firstYes, if cooked until steaming hot. Kippers are cold-smoked herring, so grill or poach them rather than eating them straight from the pack.
Why
Traditional kippers are split herring that is salted and cold-smoked, which means the smoke never heats the fish enough to kill bacteria, and the CDC lists refrigerated smoked seafood among the foods pregnant women should eat only when cooked, because of Listeria. Cook them to 145F or until they are steaming hot throughout, the way kippers are normally served at breakfast, grilled, pan-fried, or jugged in hot water, and that risk disappears. On the mercury side you are in the clear: the FDA puts herring in its Best Choices group, so kippers count toward the two to three servings of lower-mercury fish per week that pregnancy guidance encourages. Hot-smoked kippers and shelf-stable canned kipper fillets are already heat treated and fine as they are.
Safer alternatives
- Grilled kippers served hot with buttered toast
- Canned kipper fillets from a shelf-stable tin
- Hot-smoked mackerel, heated until steaming
- Baked or pan-fried fresh herring, salmon, or sardines
Sources
- CDC https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/foods/pregnant-women.html
- FDA https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish
Every verdict follows our sourcing methodology: official health guidelines only, most cautious position when they differ.
Last reviewed by the pregAI editorial team.
Frequently asked questions
Are canned kippers safe during pregnancy?
Yes, shelf-stable canned kippers are safe to eat straight from the tin. Canning heat sterilizes the fish, which removes the Listeria concern that applies to refrigerated cold-smoked packs. Only chilled vacuum packs need cooking first.
How much mercury is in kippers?
Very little, which is why the FDA ranks herring as one of its Best Choices fish. You can eat two to three servings of lower-mercury fish a week in pregnancy, and cooked kippers fit comfortably within that. The salt content is a bigger reason to keep them occasional rather than daily.
What temperature should kippers be cooked to?
Cook fish to an internal temperature of 145F, or until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily and the fillet is steaming hot right through. Grilling kippers for a few minutes a side or covering them in just-boiled water for ten minutes both get there. Serve them hot rather than letting them cool on the counter.
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