Are sesame seeds safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about sesame seeds during pregnancy?

1. Sesame became the ninth major food allergen under the FASTER Act, and since January 1, 2023 it must be declared as an allergen on packaged foods and dietary supplements. 1
2. Products already on their way to or on store shelves before 2023 did not have to be removed, so older packages may carry no sesame allergen statement at all. 1
3. Tahini is made from sesame, and FDA's own labeling example shows it written out as tahini paste followed by sesame in parentheses in an ingredient list. 1
4. Twenty salmonellosis outbreaks worldwide were linked to tahini products between 1995 and 2022, accounting for 1,662 illnesses, 88 hospitalizations, and one death. 2
5. Tahini runs 57 to 65 percent fat at a water activity of 0.16, conditions where Salmonella cannot multiply but can survive for years, and its long shelf life lets a contaminated batch circulate widely. 2

Is sesame seeds safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. If you grew up hearing that til brings on a miscarriage, this is the trimester the worry lands hardest. Sesame on a bagel or in a chutney is food, and the agencies that track pregnancy exposures handle it as food. Nothing to undo.
• Second trimester. This is a good stretch to start reading labels for sesame, since packages made before 2023 were never required to declare it as an allergen and are still legal to sell. That habit matters more if allergy runs in your family.
• Third trimester. Tahini keeps for months at room temperature, which is exactly why a contaminated jar can circulate for a long time. Buy from brands you recognize, refrigerate after opening, and check recall notices if a jar has been in the cupboard a while.