Can I eat pepperoni while pregnant? In short, yes! Pepperoni is safe to eat while pregnant – as long as it's thoroughly cooked. Making sure it's cooked through (like on a pizza) gets rid of any harmful bacteria and minimizes the risk of food poisoning and all the unpleasantness that brings.
The only way to make deli meat safe in pregnancy is to heat it until its temperature reaches 165F or 75c. This is often referred to as 'steaming hot', if you're unable to measure the precise temperature. At this temperature, harmful bacteria are killed, making it safe for pregnant women.
Once it has cooled down, bacteria can start to grow again, so you shouldn't eat it cold. Similarly, if you have a shellfish topping, such as prawns, mussels or scallops, make sure that the pizza is cooked right through.
There's a small risk of getting toxoplasmosis if you eat raw and undercooked meat, which can cause miscarriage. Cured meats are not cooked, so they may have parasites in them that cause toxoplasmosis. Liver and liver products have lots of vitamin A in them. This can be harmful to an unborn baby.
Why can't pregnant women eat deli meat? It's best not to eat deli or lunch meats while you're pregnant, unless the food has been heated until steaming (165 degrees F) right before serving. These meats can harbor bacteria, which can continue to grow even when refrigerated.
We know that it may seem confusing, especially because social rules dictate that most food must be eaten hot, but trust us when we say that you can eat pizza both hot and cold. You'd be surprised at the number of clients who prefer cold pizzas over hot ones.
Provided the freshly cooked pizza was not left out at room temperature for an extended period of time; and it's been refrigerated for only a day or so; it ought to be safe to eat. It's a different experience eating cold pizza, but if it was made with the right ingredients — sauce, cheese, anchovies, etc.
Deli meat and prepared deli foods
Deli foods are high on the list of pregnancy food to avoid. Cold cuts (including ham, turkey, bologna and more), cured meats (like salami, pepperoni, prosciutto and chorizo) and hot dogs are actually dangerous for you and baby, Phillips says, as they can be contaminated with listeria.
Not pre-cooking your toppings
Because pizza cooks at such high temperatures, it's tempting to just allow your toppings to cook directly on the crust. This is fine for most veggies, but never take the chance with meat. Make sure to cook all meats and even tougher veggies like broccoli ahead of time.
Of course, pepperoni is just as good if you don't cook it before eating. Because dangerous microbes are killed during the curing process, it's safe to eat the sausage raw (Tacinelli keeps a stick in the fridge for this exact reason).
Ensure good hygiene and clean utensils when preparing food. Thoroughly wash raw vegetables and fruit. Avoid foods such as pate, cold cooked chicken and deli meats such as ham and salami unless reheated to high temperature e.g., on a pizza.
If you want to eat any deli meat, hot dogs, or cured meat, the CDC recommends heating it until it steams. You can heat it in a pan on the stove or in the microwave. Listeria can survive refrigeration or freezing but won't survive at temperatures over 165 degrees.
You're safe to eat some milk and dairy foods, including: All hard cheeses, such as cheddar, Parmesan or Gruyere. Pasteurised semi-hard and soft cheeses, such as cottage cheese, mozzarella, feta, paneer, ricotta, halloumi, cream cheese, cheese spreads, or goat's cheese without a white coating on the outside (rind)
Hard or dry sausage (such as pepperoni and Genoa salami), whole and unopened, can be stored indefinitely in the refrigerator or up to 6 weeks in the pantry. After opening, refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Does Pepperoni Need to be Refrigerated? Pepperoni sticks, or the sausage, do not need refrigeration because it comes wrapped in a protective casing in addition to the curing preservatives. Storing it in a cool and dry area is ideal. Keeping it in the fridge may help prolong its shelf life.
Lucky you. According to the USDA, if your pizza has been refrigerated at a temperature lower than 40 degrees fahrenheit, its safe to eat up to four days.
So called uncured meats are simply cured with natural products such as celery powder. Any dry sausage such as pepperoni, whether labled uncured or not, is safe to eat without cooking.
Can you reheat leftover pizza? It's safe to reheat pizza the next day, as long as you're heating to a temperature that would kill any bacteria off. So, reheating your pizza in the oven, over a pan or skillet, or in the microwave would all work well.
Subway sandwiches are safe for pregnant women to eat if they're heated until hot, rather than just warm. This means either microwaved for a few seconds or having the sandwich toasted – sometimes a little more than normal.
Pregnant women are about 10 times more likely to get listeriosis than other healthy adults. An estimated 1/6 of all Listeria cases occur in pregnant women.
Listeriosis can cause mild, flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches, and diarrhea or upset stomach. You also may have a stiff neck, headache, confusion, or loss of balance. Symptoms may appear as late as 2 months after you have eaten something with Listeria. Many pregnant women do not have any symptoms.
“If you're pregnant, you really shouldn't have deli meat,” Schaffner says. The only way to ensure that sliced deli meat is safe to eat, he adds, is by heating it to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, to guarantee that any lingering surface bacteria is killed off.
CDC estimates that Listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness, or food poisoning, in the United States. An estimated 1,600 people get sick from Listeria each year, and about 260 die.