Can you eat pastel de nata while pregnant?
SafeYes, pastel de nata is safe: the custard is thickened on the stove and then baked in a very hot oven, well past the 160°F that kills Salmonella. Those dark blistered spots on top are your proof the filling got hot.
Why
The worry with any custard tart is raw egg and Salmonella, and a nata does not leave that opening. Cream, sugar and yolks are cooked into a thick custard first, the filled shells then go into an oven hot enough to scorch the surface, and FoodSafety.gov puts the safe internal temperature for egg dishes at 160°F, which a blistered nata clears comfortably. The NHS places no restriction on fully cooked egg in pregnancy. The only real care is storage: buy from a bakery that bakes through the day or from a refrigerated case, and leave the tart that has been sitting warm on a counter since morning.
Safer alternatives
- Pastéis straight from the oven at a Portuguese bakery
- Supermarket pastéis de nata from the chilled case, warmed through in the oven
- Baked flan or crème caramel
- A fully baked egg custard tart from the bakery counter
Sources
- FoodSafety.gov (FDA) https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
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
Is the custard in a pastel de nata fully cooked?
Yes. It is cooked twice, once as a stovetop custard and again in an oven running around 500°F, which is why the top caramelizes in dark patches. That is far above the 160°F an egg dish needs.
Can I eat a pastel de nata that has been out on the counter all day?
Better not. Egg custard belongs either hot and fresh or chilled, not lukewarm for hours. Buy from a tray that turns over quickly, or take one from the refrigerated case.
Are supermarket or frozen pastéis de nata safe?
Yes. Ready-made ones are baked with pasteurized ingredients, and frozen ones are safe once you bake them until the custard is set and bubbling at the edges. Eat them the same day or keep them in the fridge.
Related foods
All desserts verdicts for pregnancy Browse all foods: can I eat this while pregnant?Get instant verdicts on any food
pregAI scans any dish, product or menu and answers in seconds, grounded in the same official sources.
Get instant verdicts on any foodpregAI is informational only and is not medical advice. Always check with your doctor or midwife about anything specific to your pregnancy.