Can you eat remoulade while pregnant?
Check firstYes, if the mayonnaise is pasteurized. Jarred remoulade and the version served in almost every US restaurant use commercial mayo, which is safe, while a scratch sauce whipped from raw yolks can carry Salmonella.
Why
Remoulade is mayonnaise with mustard, herbs, capers and pickles folded in, so the whole question is the mayonnaise underneath. Commercial mayonnaise is made with pasteurized egg, which destroys Salmonella, which is why jarred remoulade and restaurant remoulade are fine. The exception is a house-made sauce emulsified from raw egg yolks: the NHS advises against foods containing raw or lightly cooked egg unless the eggs are pasteurized or carry the British Lion stamp, and FoodSafety.gov lists homemade mayonnaise-style sauces among the foods to skip in pregnancy. One question settles it: did the mayo come from a jar?
Safer alternatives
- Jarred Zatarain's Creole mustard stirred into Duke's or Hellmann's mayonnaise
- Store-bought tartar sauce, which is made with pasteurized egg
- Greek yogurt blended with lemon juice, capers, paprika and dill
- Kewpie or other bottled mayo thinned with hot sauce and pickle relish
Sources
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
- FoodSafety.gov https://www.foodsafety.gov/people-at-risk/pregnant-women
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 store-bought remoulade safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Every jarred remoulade sold in the US is made with pasteurized egg, so there is no Salmonella risk. Keep it refrigerated after opening and use it by the date on the label.
Can I eat remoulade on a po' boy from a restaurant?
Almost always yes, because commercial kitchens build remoulade on jarred mayonnaise rather than raw yolks. If it is a chef-driven place that makes its own mayo, ask. The answer takes ten seconds and settles it.
I made remoulade with fresh farm eggs. Is that a problem?
Unpasteurized raw yolks are the one version to skip, since fresh and farm eggs can still carry Salmonella. Use pasteurized shell eggs or liquid egg product next time, or start from jarred mayonnaise. If you already ate some and feel fine, you almost certainly are.
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