Can you eat unpasteurized brie while pregnant?
Not advisedAvoid unpasteurized brie during pregnancy. Soft cheese made with raw milk is one of the highest-risk foods for Listeria, which can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or newborn infection.
Why
Brie is soft, moist and low in acid, which is close to ideal conditions for Listeria to multiply, and skipping pasteurization removes the one step that would have killed it in the milk. The CDC names soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk among the foods pregnant people should not eat, and the NHS lists mold-ripened soft cheeses such as brie in the same way. Listeria infection is often mild in the person eating it, a fever and some aches, but it can cross the placenta, so the consequences fall on the baby. Brie that has been baked until piping hot all the way through is a different matter, because that heat kills Listeria.
Safer alternatives
- Pasteurized brie, which is standard in most US supermarkets
- Baked brie served piping hot through the center
- Boursin or other pasteurized soft spreadable cheese
- Hard cheeses such as cheddar, gruyere or parmesan, safe pasteurized or not
- Cream cheese or mascarpone made with pasteurized milk
Sources
- CDC https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention/index.html
- 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 baked unpasteurized brie safe while pregnant?
Yes, if it is heated until it is steaming hot all the way to the middle, not just warm and melty on top. Listeria does not survive that level of heat. Give it long enough in the oven that the center is bubbling, then eat it fresh rather than letting it cool and sit out.
How do I tell whether brie is pasteurized?
Check the label for pasteurized milk in the ingredients, which most brie sold in US stores will say. French and artisanal wheels often say lait cru or raw milk instead, and those are the ones to put back. If a cheese counter cannot tell you, treat it as unpasteurized.
I ate unpasteurized brie before I knew, what should I do?
Most exposures lead to nothing at all, so try not to panic. Keep an eye out for fever, chills, headache, muscle aches or stomach upset for the next few weeks, since Listeria has a long incubation period. Contact your midwife or doctor if you feel unwell and tell them you ate raw milk cheese, because it is treatable with antibiotics.
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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.