Something that many pregnant women think they have to give up while expecting a baby is cheese of various kinds. This is because of the listeria bacteria that can potentially be found in some cheeses. For example, can I eat mozzarella when pregnant? Although some cheeses should be avoided, there is actually a wide variety of cheeses that are perfectly fine to eat!

It is very rare for pregnant women to contract listeria in Sweden, but as listeria can be found in various unpasteurized cheeses, these should be avoided during pregnancy. Any infection can be harmful to the baby. However, you don't have to avoid all cheeses, there is still a wide range of tasty cheeses that you can eat as much as you want!

What is listeria?

Listeria is a bacterium that can cause illness in people with compromised immune systems and pregnant women. The bacterium is found in nature and therefore also on some food raw materials, and can take hold on the premises of food production equipment. Therefore, it can be difficult to get rid of - especially as listeria can thrive in the cold and without oxygen. 

It is good to keep track of your diet and nutrition during pregnancy, such as eating keyhole foods and drinking plenty of fluids.

Here is the list of cheese that you sheep eat when you are pregnant (yes, mozzarella is ok!):

• All kinds of hard cheese that can be shaved or sliced, such as herrgård, gouda, prästost and similar
• Parmesan cheese
• Processed cheese or soft cheese such as shrimp cheese, ham cheese and blue cheese in tubes or boxes
• Fresh cheeses such as cream cheese, marscarpone, ricotta and other spreadable, packaged fresh cheeses
• Mozzarella
• Halloumi
• Feta cheese
• Dessert cheeses like Gruyère, Comté and Manchego

Any cheese that is cooked and heated to 70 degrees is also perfectly safe to eat, regardless of the variety, and this is because any listeria dies when heated to 70 degrees. 

If the cheese packaging does not state that the cheese is made from raw/unpasteurized milk, you can assume that the milk has been pasteurized and is therefore safe to eat. However, there are a few cheeses that you should avoid even if they are made from pasteurized milk. These are mold and putty cheeses such as brie, gorgonzola, chèvre, vacherol and taleggio.

Source: The National Food Agency.