Pregnancy SmartShop formulas

Is it safe? · Pregnancy Smart

Is mozzarella cheese safe during pregnancy?

Assigned clinical reviewerMichael Yuzefovich· MD, FACOGDraft · pending clinical reviewUpdated

What does the evidence say about mozzarella cheese during pregnancy?

  1. CDC puts mozzarella made with pasteurized milk in its safer-choice column for pregnancy, right alongside cheddar, cottage cheese, and cream cheese. 1
  2. FDA's pregnancy food-safety guidance flags feta, brie, camembert, blue-veined, and Mexican-style soft cheeses for a pasteurization check, and standard mozzarella isn't on that watch list. 2
  3. Pregnancy lowers your immune defenses enough that soft, fresh cheeses of unclear origin deserve real caution, since a Listeria infection can raise the chance of miscarriage or preterm labor. 3
  4. Fresh, high-moisture cheeses give Listeria an easier place to grow than aged or well-cooked ones, which is exactly why a fresh mozzarella ball sitting in brine at a deli counter calls for more care than a sealed, low-moisture block. 4
  5. A 2021 multistate Listeria outbreak was traced to a fresh, soft Hispanic-style cheese made with pasteurized milk, a reminder that fresh, high-moisture cheese still needs clean handling even when the milk itself checks out. 5

Is mozzarella cheese safe in each trimester?

  • First trimester. Pizza and caprese cravings are common early on, and standard shredded or sliced mozzarella fits into a normal diet from your very first weeks. If a specific fresh mozzarella ball has no pasteurized-milk label, set it aside until you can confirm.
  • Second trimester. Appetite often comes back in the second trimester, and mozzarella on sandwiches, pasta bakes, or a fresh pizza stays an easy, everyday choice. Save the extra label check for cheese counters, farmers markets, and specialty imports, where fresh mozzarella isn't always clearly marked.
  • Third trimester. Pregnancy keeps your immune system less able to fight off Listeria all the way to delivery, so keep favoring sealed, pasteurized mozzarella over fresh tubs of unclear origin. Call your provider right away if fever or flu-like symptoms follow a meal with cheese you couldn't confirm was pasteurized.

Frequently asked questions

Is regular mozzarella safe to eat during pregnancy?

Yes. Standard mozzarella sold in the U.S., whether shredded, sliced, string cheese, or melted on pizza, is made from pasteurized milk and fits into a normal pregnancy diet. Consult your healthcare provider if a specific product or dish has you unsure.

What about fresh mozzarella or burrata?

Fresh mozzarella and burrata from a U.S. grocery store are almost always pasteurized too, so a quick label check confirms it and you're fine to enjoy them. Imported buffalo mozzarella, especially anything unlabeled from a specialty shop or brought back from travel, is the version worth asking about first.

Is mozzarella on pizza or a caprese salad safe at a restaurant?

Most restaurant mozzarella, including on pizza and caprese salad, comes from pasteurized commercial suppliers, so it's generally a fine order. At a specialty Italian restaurant serving imported or house-made fresh mozzarella, a quick question to your server settles it either way.

What should I do if I ate mozzarella that might not have been pasteurized?

Most people who eat a risky food never get sick, so try not to spiral over one meal. Still, call your healthcare provider if fever, muscle aches, or flu-like symptoms show up in the days after, since early evaluation matters with Listeria.

Related in the library

References

  1. Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women

    CDC · https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/foods/pregnant-women.html

  2. Food Safety for Moms-to-Be: At-a-Glance

    FDA · https://www.fda.gov/food/people-risk-foodborne-illness/food-safety-moms-be-glance

  3. Listeria Infection (Listeriosis)

    MotherToBaby · https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/listeriosis-pregnancy/

  4. How Listeria Spread: Soft Cheeses and Raw Milk

    CDC · https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/causes/dairy.html

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.