Pizzas are safe to eat in pregnancy, as long they are cooked thoroughly and are piping hot.
Mozzarella is perfectly safe but be cautious about pizzas topped with soft, mould-ripened cheeses such as brie and camembert, and soft blue-veined cheeses, such as Danish blue. These cheeses contain more listeria bacteria than other cheeses.
If you become infected with listeria, you may get listeriosis. This is a rare illness that causes flu-like symptoms, often several weeks after you’ve been exposed to the bacteria. Though listeriosis is a fairly mild illness for you, it can cause serious health problems for your baby.
However, if you’re craving a pizza that’s topped with these cheeses, you can make it safe to eat by thoroughly cooking it at a high temperature, until it’s piping hot. This should kill the bacteria. Once it has cooled down, bacteria can start to grow again, so you shouldn’t eat it cold.
Can I eat pizza while pregnant?
